Going Green & Saving Money

I have been looking around for ways to save money, gas and time and just found out our son is riding a bike to work. He doesn't live very far from church where he is Student Pastor and in an effort to save money on his fuel expenses, he has parked his Pontiac Grand Am, borrowed a bicycle and is riding into work this week. He said the ride into work isn't too bad but the ride home is very hot and sweaty. This is a two fold benefit as it saves him money on fuel cost, and at the same time it's good exercise.

Riding a bike to work, isn't practical for me, but I'm taking my lunch so I don't have to drive to get my midday meal. I've set a goal of at least two - three days a week. The extra benefit of this for me is that it give me the opportunity to use the gym on site. I'm trying to take advantage of it too as part of a healthier life style.

At home we have replaced some of our light bulbs with energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. I have noticed they need time for their light to build up and provide the full amount of light. Once they "warm up" there is plenty of light but I can see a little difference in color from standard bulbs. But that isn't a concern for me.

We also use ceiling fans to move the air around and allow us to turn the thermostat a degree or two higher. I enjoy the gentle hum of the one in our bedroom and it lulls me off to sleep at night.

Stay tuned for more ways to save and reduce energy use. Most of the things I've mentioned are simple and anyone can do them. Of course not everyone can ride their bike to work, but look around and see where you can make changes in your daily life.

Later
D

Homemade Window Cleaner using Vinegar

I try to save money everywhere I can. I also like to be "green" if possible. Recently I've begun researching recipes for cleaning products that I can make at home.

I decided to start with Window Cleaner. I found a recipe that works well but contains ammonia and I'd rather not use it because of the strong smell. I found several recipes that contain vinegar. I know vinegar can be used as a disinfectant so this seemed like the place to start.

Window Cleaner #1:
6 teaspoons of vinegar
1/2 teaspoons liquid dish soap
2 to 3 cups of water
A spray bottle
Combine the ingredients and pour into the spray bottle.

Window Cleaner #2:
Make a great all-purpose window cleaner by combining:
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent
2 cups of water in a spray bottle.
Combine in a spray bottle. Shake to blend

Window Cleaner #3:
1 cup rubbing alcohol
1 cup water
1 tablespoon vinegar

Using isopropyl alcohol and white vinegar together makes a quickly evaporating spray glass and mirror cleaner that competes with national brands. This can also be used to give a nice shine to hard tiles, chrome, and other surfaces.

Spray on your windows and wipe. (the same as you would a regular brand)

I recommend white vinegar for all recipes.

If you try one of these recipes, I'd be interested to know what you think and which one you like best. My personal preference is recipe #3. It doesn't foam and I think is easier to remove from the glass surface.

Later
D