Green Spring Cleaning - March's Sustainable Living Tip

You can clean your house from top to bottom without harmful chemicals. The key to a healthy house is keeping it warm and dry in the winter, and cool and dry in the summer. Keeping your relative humidity around 40% is ideal. That level of moisture in the air feels comfortable, but still allows counters, dishes and clothes to air dry. Mold and germs thrive in humid conditions, but none can grow on dry surfaces.

In the winter, your indoor air relative humidity often drops far below 40%. In that case, hanging laundry to dry indoors helps put more moisture in the air. You save money and energy, and make your home more comfortable!

In the summer, your relative humidity can rise above 40%. Running fans in your kitchen and bathroom is a good way to exhaust excess moisture before it leads to mold and mildew problems.

It's important to think not just about the water you're adding to your indoor air, but also what else you're putting into it. Any cleaners that contain petroleum-based fragrances are compromising your indoor air quality and increasing the chances your family will suffer from respiratory disease. Likewise, bleaches and ammonia add unnecessary chemicals to your indoor air and can damage cells in your lungs.

The best "chemical" in your cleaning arsenal is plain water. Plant-based surfactants and acids can help water do a better job of dissolving and rinsing away dirt and grime.

Your decisions about which cleaning chemicals to use have consequences far beyond your own home, especially if you are on a municipal sewer system. The dyes and foaming agents that look pretty in your sink don't look so nice in the Androscoggin River. But even if you are on a septic system, it's important to think about what goes down your drain. Anything that kills germs in your house will also kill the beneficial bacteria that break down your waste. Rather than trying to kill every bacteria in your home (an impossible task), concentrate on removing the dirt, grime and water they need to grow.

One final consideration to bear in mind when buying cleaning supplies is unnecessary packaging. How many 16 ounce spray bottles do you really need? Buying in bulk saves money, cuts down on trips to the store, and keeps literally tons of plastic out of the waste stream. Remember, refills not landfills!

Environmental Happenings

Mon 3/7 - Start Your Farm Business The Right Way: By Planning To Make A Profit!, 9 am to 4:30 pm, MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center, Unity. Workshop led by Richard Wiswall, owner/operator of Cate Farm in Vermont, and author of The Organic Farmer's Business Handbook. Registration: $50, which includes lunch. Register online.

 

Tue 3/8 - Portland Greendrinks, 5:30 - 7:30 pm, Empire Dine and Dance, 575 Congress Street, Portland.  Portland Greendrinks is a monthly happy hour to connect people who care about the environment and sustainability.  The events are a great opportunity to relax, have a drink, and meet new people who care about environmental issues.  The Environmental Health Strategy Center will be the non-profit host for Greendrinks next week, at the door collecting a $2 donation from people who bring a mug and $5 from those who do not bring a mug.  Inside the event there will be a variety of free local beers and lots of great people to meet.  For more information, contact Rachelle at 699-5789 or rcurran@preventharm.org.

 

Wed 3/9 - Home Energy Efficiency Workshop, 6:30-7:30 pm, City of Bath Council Chambers, Bath. The Midcoast Council of Governments will conduct four workshops to educate homeowners on the financial benefits of making energy efficiency improvements and to provide guidance on easy, inexpensive and effective ways homeowners can improve their home's performance.  Energy auditors, building contractors, heating equipment contractors and other experts will be on hand before, during and after to answer your questions. Several home energy audit coupons worth $200 each will be given away at each workshop.  For more information, contact Jason Bird at 443-5790 or jbird@midcoastcog.org.

 

Thu 3/10 - Green Tea Breakfast, 7:30 - 9 am, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Portland.  What do the arts and sustainability have in common?  Find out at the next Green Tea Breakfast sponsored by The Sunrise Guide and Maine Businesses for Sustainability.  Jennifer Hutchins, executive director of Creative Portland Corporation and Portland Arts and Cultural Alliance, will present and lead a discussion on their vision for Maine, the LiveWorkPortland.org promotional campaign, and how small businesses can benefit from initiatives in the arts.  $8 MBS members and SunriseGuide advertisers, $15 all others.  Tasty treats provided by Coffee by Design and the Rosemont Market and Bakery.

 

Thu 3/10 - An Exploration of the World’s Most Amazing and Mysterious Fish, 7 pm, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick.  Join Friends of Merrymeeting Bay for a presentation featuring James Prosek, artist, author and activist who follows the incredible, ubiquitous and endangered eel from New Zealand to Maine, Japan and the Sargasso Sea.  Eels are our only catadromous fish species, spawning in the ocean and living in freshwater rivers for 15-50 years before attempting to out-migrate back to their spawning grounds in the Sargasso Sea.  For more information, call Jim Mason, Executive Coordinator, Friends of Merrymeeting Bay, at 619-1945 or fomb@comcast.net.

 

Sat 3/12 - Environmental Action 2011, 9 am - 5:30 pm, Bentley University, Waltham, MA.  The premier community activist conference in New England, Environmental Action 2011 will offer over 20 workshops, discussions, and panels, designed to help you prevent pollution, tackle climate change, ensure clean drinking water, protect open spaces and develop skills and strategies to create healthy and safe communities.  For more information, Visit www.MAEnvironmentalAction.org or call (617) 747-4362.

 

Wed 3/16 - Home Energy Efficiency Workshop, 6:30-7:30 pm, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. The Midcoast Council of Governments will conduct four workshops to educate homeowners on the financial benefits of making energy efficiency improvements and to provide guidance on easy, inexpensive and effective ways homeowners can improve their home's performance.  Energy auditors, building contractors, heating equipment contractors and other experts will be on hand before, during and after to answer your questions. Several home energy audit coupons worth $200 each will be given away at each workshop.  For more information, contact Jason Bird at 443-5790 or jbird@midcoastcog.org.

 

Thu 3/17 - Kitchen Licensing Workshop, 6:30 - 9 pm, Houlton High School. Co-sponsored by MOFGA and Southern Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District. For those interested in processing food at home for resale. Contact: SASWCD, 532-2097, Ext. 3, or angela.wotton@me.nacdnet.net.

 

Tue 3/22 - Ag Day at the Maine Legislature, Hall of Flags in the State House in Augusta. Approximately 20 agricultural organizations generally participate. MOFGA will have a table.

 

Tue 3/22 - The Future of Local Food, 6:30 pm - 7 pm, Freeport Community Center, Freeport.  John Piotti, Executive Director of Maine Farmland Trust, will provide a window into the world of local food, presenting about the struggle farmers have finding land, where local agriculture is headed, and how we all play a part.  Admission is $5.  For more information, contact the Wolfe's Neck Farm Education Coordinator at 865-4469.

 

Tue 3/22 - Backyard Composting, 6 - 8 pm, Belfast Free Library. Free presentation led by MOFGA's Organic Landcare Specialist C.J. Walke. Would you like to learn how to turn your food waste into a usable soil amendment for your yard or gardens? Have you tried composting but were not satisfied with the results? Join us for an hour-long presentation on composting in your backyard. Learn different ways to build your compost pile, what to use for materials, and how to cater to the microbes that make it all happen. The presentation will focus on home composting, but will also address different approaches for larger, farm-based composting systems. There will be plenty of time for discussion, questions and answers. The Belfast Free Library, the Belfast Coop and MOFGA are co-sponsoring the event.

 

Sat 3/26 - Maine Garden Day, 7:30 am - 3 pm, Lewiston High School, 156 East Avenue, Lewiston.  The 18th annual Maine Garden Day features workshops, educational displays, and a trade show.  $50.  Advance registration only!  Seating limited; first come, first served.  Register online.

 

Sat 3/26 - Organic Orcharding Workshop: Renovating Old Trees, 10 am - 2 pm, two locations: Swanville (on Mount Desert Island) and Palermo. This course is focused on pruning and feeding non-productive fruit trees in order to bring them back into fruitfulness. This workshop will be taught by Tree Warden Phil Norris in MDI and MOFGA's Organic Orchardist CJ Walke in Swanville, ME. Please bring pruning tools and a bag lunch with you. Fee $30. Pre-registration required.

 

Sun 3/27 - Seed Swap and Scion Exchange, noon - 4 pm, MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center, Unity.  The Maine Tree Crop Alliance, the Maine Seed Saving Network, Fedco and the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association will host the eleventh annual combined Seed Swap and Scionwood Exchange. For gardeners and orchardists, it’s like the most wonderful flea market in the world. Not only that but most of the best stuff is free!  Please bring any seeds, scionwood, or cuttings you have to share freely with others. Last year scionwood from well over 100 fruit varieties was given away.  Labels and tape and markers will be supplied. On sale will be T-shirts, books, grafting supplies and rootstock.  Please note that this event, formerly held on Saturdays, is on SUNDAY this year.

 

Tue 3/29 - Green Homes Lecture Series: "Greening" Your Home Overview and Financing, 6 pm, ReVision Energy Showroom, 142 Presumpscot Street, Portland.  This is the start of a six-week lecture series designed to help homeowners make good, green decisions about their homes.  If you're considering a home renovation, an upgrade to your home's systems, or just want to learn more about greening your home, then this series is for you.  In this first session, Peter Taggart of Taggart Construction will provide an in-depth overview of "green" building: energy efficiency, occupant health and environmental impact.  Learn about available financing, incentives, tax rebates and how to manage your home's energy efficiency improvements or green renovation project like a pro.

 

Sat 4/9 - Exploring Faith and Sustainability in an Age of Climate Change, 9 am - 5 pm, Maple Hill Farm, Hallowell.  Maine Interfaith Power and Light and Maine Audubon invite clergy, lay people, community leaders, and others to a summit for people of faith who care about protecting life on the planet.  Facilitated by Good Group Decisions.  Keynote speaker will be Malcolm Burson, Climate Adaptation Program Manager, Maine Department of Environmental Protection.  $25 (includes lunch). Register at www.meipl.org.  For more information, call 721-0444 or email info@meipl.org.

 

Sat 4/9 - The Healthy Home book tour, time TBD*, Shubert Theater, Boston, MA.  Anne Olivo writes, "You are invited to see and hear Dr. Myron Wentz and his son, Dave Wentz, authors of The Healthy Home. The book tour will be an event to remember, with audience participation and engaging presentations to demonstrate the science behind the solutions in the book. More importantly, you will walk away armed with information to start protecting your family from the toxic burdens society has created, packaged, and sold to you as 'necessities' for everyday life. ADMISSION IS FREE to this life-changing event. Take this chance to discover what you can do to improve your family’s most important resource -- your health. You don’t want to miss it.  *No time has yet been announced for the Boston event. For further information, contact Anne Olivo at anne_olivo@yahoo.com."

 

Thu 4/14 - Protect Maine’s Children from Toxic Chemicals Lobby Day with the Alliance for a Clean and Healthy Maine, 8:30 am - 1 pm, Augusta State House.  For more information, contact Laura Stevens, Community Organizer, Toxics Action Center, 871-1810, laura@toxicsaction.org.