Instead of the Dishes » Around the House
Add a Rain Gauge to Your Sprinkler System
In August, we had a sprinkler system installed, as the first step in completely re-doing our front yard. Our one small change for August is that handyman hubby added this do-hickey: For an extra $35 and 5 minutes of Craig’s time, this little guy is now wired into our control box. When it rains more than 3/8 of an inch, the sensor disables our sprinkler system for 24 hours. It saves water, and money! Craig said … Read entire article »
Filed under: Around the House, Frugal Fawn, Go Green, Spending Less
TV-free Tuesdays
Our July One Small Change is probably the scariest one of the year: TV-free Tuesdays. In the way of Meatless Mondays, this change is meant to decrease consumption of energy, but it also serves another, possibly more important, purpose. Before I had kids, I had proposed to Craig that we get rid of our TV all together, or at least get rid of our cable service. I had full intentions of not letting our children watch … Read entire article »
Filed under: Around the House, Go Green, Mommyhood
Easy Energy Savings: Fridge and Water Heater
So, the end of the month has come (and gone), and Craig hasn’t figured out what our One Small Change was. Here’s a clue: Yes, indeed. I turned the refrigerator and freezer one notch warmer. Nothing perished or thawed prematurely. . . even though Callen has figured out how to climb up into our fridge (the freezer is on the bottom) and get what he and Carina need while she holds the door open for him. BUT! … Read entire article »
Filed under: Around the House, Go Green
Time to Kick the Can?
Yesterday, my friend Nicole sent me an email asking if I knew that most aluminum cans used to store food have linings that contain BPA, a chemical that’s been linked with cancer and other health problems. I responded that I did know, and then started to feel guilty that I knew and didn’t tell her. On the one hand, the studies on BPA are somewhat controversial – some say BPA isn’t harmful at all – … Read entire article »
Filed under: Around the House, Go Green, Health, Health & Fitness
Low-Flow Shower Heads
So, what’s your gpm? GPM? Gallons Per Minute! How many gallons per minute does your shower head spit out? If you don’t know, you might want to find out. It’s likely that it’s 2.5 gallons per minute or more. That’s what our shower heads were rated at, so our One Small Change for May is to replace our shower heads with low-flow versions, which use only 1.5 gpm. I have been wanting to do this … Read entire article »
Filed under: Around the House, Go Green, Spending Less
There's a Word for That: Dasani
Dasani is a brand of water bottled by Coca-Cola. I did a little research into the origins of the word Dasani and found that it originates from the Coca-Cola marketing team. There is no definition for it, although one exec tried to insinuate that the word Dasani conjured a “Roman God of Water”. For me, though, Dasani conjures visions of home, of my kids playing in the bathtub, of my sweaty yard man (hubby) drinking from the water hose, and even, *gasp* of me doing the dishes. You see, Dasani is bottled here in Little Rock. From tap water. Sure, they filter it (so do I, with a Brita pitcher), and they add some salt and potassium chloride (you know, the stuff in the chemical cocktail used for lethal injections) to … Read entire article »
Filed under: Around the House, Around the Town, Go Green, Health, Health & Fitness, Spending Less, There's a Word for That
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