Of colds, cooties and disposable towels (and Friday tip for inexpensive elegance)

With cold and flu season just around the corner, there’s bound to be lots of talk about how to prevent the spread of germs. And just like your mummy, Health Canada says washing your hands will go a long way to preventing transmission of illness.

I'm with them on that. But what to do when it comes to drying your hands at home? Our collective fear of cooties may be behind the launch of a disposable hand towel from Kleenex . It’s marketed as a convenient and hygienic alternative to cloth towels. Made from ink-, dye- and fragrance-free papers, the sheets come in a pop-up dispenser. A box of 60 sells for about $3.50.

While I agree that paper towels are useful in public (I detest all air dryers except the one made by Dyson), I don’t think I’m ready to use disposables in the home. I tend to change my hand towels fairly regularly anyway. Instead of heavier towels that take a while to dry, I use plain white linen towels that I pick up at flea markets and thrift shops. I also use mismatched, over-sized table napkins found at the same kinds of spots. They’re cheap, easy to store and to my mind, easy to keep clean. I just throw a bunch in the wash once a week and dry them outside in summer and on an indoor line in winter. Do I iron them? Of course not! But I do sometimes spray them with homemade lavender linen water.

If you are really concerned about keeping towels separate during flu season, you could divide up linens, sew on monogrammed initials for each member of the family and give each person one hook in the bath or powder room. Speaking of - check out the classic coat hooks from Lee Valley Tools. Very pretty, no?

I don’t know, maybe after four kids, I’ve just developed a lassez-faire attitude towards all this. What do you think?

Wary of waste

 

 

 

These pretty images of Moleskin notebooks reminded me yet again of how much I love paper products. I know, I know, paper is supposed to be wasteful and the world would be a better place if we all communicated electronically all the time. Technology will set us free from wateful practices, right? Except, except, I’m stumbling on this one, as I become more and more conscious of e-waste. A couple of recent light-bulb moments:

In the last two months, I’ve had to ditch two point and click digital cameras (not cheapies) because they just stopped working. I was advised by the repair department at my local camera shop that fixing them would probably cost more than they were worth, and that because they were past the warranty, the manufacturers wouldn’t replace them.

When the digital LED-lit temperature gauge on my oven stopped working, I phoned my repair guy, thinking I was probably in for a simple, inexpensive repair. After all, it just meant replacing a little light, no? Ah, no. I was told that the entire front panel of the stove would have to be removed (and sent to landfill, presumably) and replaced with a new panel that would cost — get this — $500. That’s just plain goofy.

So I’m now asking myself – just how much electronic waste are we creating? To give you an idea, there’s some interesting numbers on U.S. e-waste on Retrevo.com.

If like me, you’re becoming fascinated by waste issues, don’t miss Ellen Moorhouse’s Trash Talk column. In the meantime, if you have e-waste you want to get rid of safely, go to Do What You Can, a site that tells consumers how and where to dispose of their e-waste across the province. I’ve also just found out about Ifixit.com, on online resource for DIY  gadget repair. So maybe those cameras aren't  fit for the pit just yet.

 

Clever design - I'll drink to that

 
Here's a fab Friday find. A cute, clever and colourful bottle bag from Reisenthel, perfect for carrying those empty wine bottles back to the Beer Store for a refund. Available at www.touchofeurope.net

Testing trimmers

In principal, I like to use manual garden tools wherever possible because a) they’re more environmentally friendly and b) I so need the exercise. But when it comes to trimming our 30-odd feet of hedge — which grows like a weed, requiring several summer/fall trims — we gave in last year and bought a cordless trimmer. Our first purchase was a house brand from a major retailer that turned out to be, well, pretty crappy. There was a problem with the switch, in that it would sometimes jam, making the tool suddenly stop in the middle of a cut. Cute. The replacement we got did the same thing, convincing us once and for all that cheap garden tools are no bargain. This summer, the gardening team at my house (my husband, 15-year-old son and myself) tried two trimmers, both of which we liked.

One was the Black & Decker 18-volt cordless hedge trimmer (on sale at Home Depot now for about $110, I notice.) It’s supposed to run for about 30 minutes, but we found it ran longer than that, getting us all the way through the hedge job on one charge. It gives a nice clean cut on larger branches (up to about ¾ of an inch thick) and did not shred smaller, finer branches.  (For bigger branches, I still like my older, corded Black & Decker Alligator lopper.) At 22 inches, the blade is longer than that of the Ryobi we tested.  Using both made me realize that blade length can be a somewhat personal choice, depending on the depth of what you are cutting, and what feels best in your hand. I may actually like a slightly longer blade, the result, perhaps, of having short arms? The recharge time on the battery for this model is long; between nine and 11 hours, according to the manual. Because I do deplore the way power tools add to outdoor noise level, I have to say that I think I like the sound this one makes slightly more than the Ryobi (although husband and son says that’s silly.)

Overall, I was really impressed with the Ryobi cordless 18-volt trimmer.  It sells exclusively at Home Depot (regularly for $139, now on sale for $99) The company claims its 18-volt lithium battery will hold  charge about four times longer than its Ni-cad counterpart, but I can’t actually vouch for that.  I can say that the recharge time is fast – about an hour. It also gives a very clean cut on branches up to 3/8 of an inch and like, the Black and Decker, did not make a mess of thin new growth. We all found the Ryobi to be very nicely balanced and easy to manoeuvre. There’s also one stand-out feature to note.  It’s got a wrap-around handle, so that you can turn the blade simply by tilting your steering hand. So simple, so clever - it makes shaping bushes and hedges quicker and easier. That was true for both myself and my strong-as-oxes guys.

In the end, I think  my son said a mouthful when he suggested that picking the right trimmer is probably a bit like choosing the perfect hockey stick – it’s got to “fit”. So make sure you handle several before you buy.

Tell us what you really think, Frank

Want to know what legendary architect Frank Gehry thinks of LEED?I caught it on Inhabitat (one of my fave green design sites to visit) and thought it was noteworthy.

Green house gets gold award

The eighth season of My RONA House ended with a win by the hard-working Landreville-Kérouack family, who now get  their home and its furnishings, valued at $350,000. What makes this reality show stand out is that both houses built during the season received their Gold level LEED Canada certification, becoming respectively the first and second homes in Quebec to do so. 

Throughout the run of the show, participants and viewers learned about LEED, a system introduced in March 2009 for evaluating eco-responsible homes. To obtain LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), homes must be built with special attention paid to energy efficiency, efficient water use, and indoor air quality.

The houses featured used eco-responsible materials and resources, including lumber and exterior wood sourced from Forest Stewardship Certified forests, low VOC or low urea-formaldehyde-emitting paint, adhesives, waterproofing and other materials, recycled or partially recycled materials, local supply sources, recycled paint, low-flow faucets and shower heads, and 4/6-litre dual-flush toilets. Energy Star-rated windows, home appliances, light bulbs, ventilation systems and air exchangers were also used, while an air exchanger reduced indoor pollutants. Rona’s own ECO line also figured prominently in the build.

The origins of evil OR where the hell is my other argyle sock?

Sometimes, I strongly feel the need to avoid a deadline silently ponder impenetrable questions such as “what is the origin of evil?”, “what is the meaning and purpose of life?” or “where do all the socks that get lost in the laundry go?” On this last one, I'm apparently not alone in clinging fondly to the hope that these socks disappear into an alternate universe for a while before returning to earth as more enlightened and self-actualized socks. Toronto Hydro has found, through a survey with Leger Marketing, that nine per cent of Torontonians hold on lonely socks for at least a year while almost one in five keep it for eternity (how does one define eternity, anyway?) For other fascinating laundry facts, or if you too are trying to avoid a deadline, see below.

In an heroic gesture of corporate responsibility, Toronto Hydro has come up with a possible solution to the lonely sock crisis currently facing Torontonians by offering a Sock Exchange. Under the program, the first 100 customers who send in a photo and brief description of their lonely sock to media@torontohydro.com will receive a free eco-friendly indoor drying rack. All socks will also be reviewed for compatibility with other socks in the database. Owners will be notified and matches will be posted on the website. Click here for info. 

Toronto Hydro has also partnered with local with Home Depot stores, Caplan’s Appliances and the City of Toronto, so customers who buy  a new ENERGY STAR washing machine in  May or June get an $80 instant rebate, a $60 mail-in rebate from the City of Toronto, and an eco-friendly indoor drying rack (valued at $68.) ENERGY STAR washing machines not only save water and electricity, but Hydro suggests front-loading machines may also help to reduce the occurrence of missing socks. Anonymous insiders who refused to be named have suggested that Hydro will be answering the question about the origin of evil next month and that it has something to do with ill-fitting shoes, but our sources were unable to confirm this.

OTHER LAUNDRY FACTS

• On average, Torontonians spend about 3 hours a week doing laundry.
• Only 19 per cent of dads/husbands are responsible for the laundry.
• Watching television is the most popular past-time while waiting for laundry to be done (61 per cent) followed by house cleaning (55 per cent) and surfing the net (53 per cent).
• Nearly half the Torontonians surveyed who are in a relationship (45 per cent) say that their spouse or partner has ruined their clothing in the wash.
• Demographically, men are slightly more likely to hold on to a lonely sock for only a week (eight per cent vs. four per cent among women).
• ENERGY STAR qualified washing machines use at least 30 per cent less electricity than other washers. They also use up to 50 per cent less water and the combined water and electricity savings can total almost $68 a year. As well, if customers use a clothes drying rack even just a quarter of the time (instead of a dryer), they could save another $21 a year.

Needs green tips, not hype?

Has all the hype about Earth Day got you wondering what little ole you can do to help? Or do you need some motivation to get started? Then check out Papermate’s Pledge for the Planet program  The national campaign includes the creation of a bookmark with twelve easy-to-execute tips for homeowners that will be distributed at ten Earth Day events. At each event, there will be a banner, and participants will write on the banner the eco tip that they pledge to perform. The plan is to 10,000 pledges across Canada. By the way, did you know that Papermate makes a biodegradable pen? For more information about Earth Day Canada and its environmental programs, visit the Earth Day website.

A crazed woman with a handkerchief

Getting lots and lots of press releases in the run up to Earth Day. Too many, in fact, to fit into my next two columns. So I’m adding some extra stuff here. In the paper product category, Kruger Products, which makes Sponge Towels and Scotties facial tissues under the name EnviroCare, has just launched a line of 100 per cent recycled, premium-quality paper products that are competitively priced.They all bear the EcoLogo symbol, a North American wide environmental standard and certification mark. Here’s my little eco-tip — don’t forget that soiled tissues and paper towels , which you use sparingly, of course, should be disposed of in the green bin, rather than tossed in the garbage. I have little mini waste bins from Umbra  in my bathrooms and bedrooms for just that purpose. They look fine and take up hardly any space. I’d also admit to carrying a hankie in my purse instead of tissue, but the last time I wrote that publicly, an angry reader told me I must be a crazed and dangerous bundle of germs. Or something like that. But I still carry my little hankie from Grassroots. Crazed? Perhaps. Dangerous? I think not.

An outdoor chore I can get behind

Looking for an excuse to spend a few hours outdoors this weekend? You know you are. If you’re a Type- A personality, you may feel you have to justify your al fresco time by doing a “chore”. Here’s one that’s I actually enjoy — giving outdoor furniture made from hardwood an annual going over with Teak or Tung Oil. It’s an environmentally-friendly way to protect wood and really brings out the grain. I became a fan of these oils after doing one or two refinishing jobs and getting queasy and loopy while using stains and sealants. I switched to oils in subsequent projects. LOVE IT.

Minwax also has a new water-based Woodsheen product out that I’m planning to try. It promises a hand-rubbed finish that’s easily applied with a rag, dries on one hour and cleans up with soap and water. Sounds good to me! To give your furniture an extra layer of protection, you can apply a topcoat over a layer of oil. Just choose the right one. Minwax says its Helmsman Spar Urethane can, for example, be applied over its Teak Oil. But I’m sure I’m read in a recent article in Canadian Home Workshop  that putting a hard finish over a softer one can lead to cracks in the top coat, so do your homework on this one. And don’t use Teak Oil on deck floors.

If lovingly rubbing oil into your outdoor furniture doesn’t sound like fun to you (no, but it is – really!) you can opt for a pre-finished or painted version, like the one from PC Home shown above ($100).