Reader Poll
June 23, 2010
It’s time to pick May’s wonky topic (retroactively, of course)! Some of these ideas are things from my own head–the next go-round I’ll solicit fresh topics from all of you out there.
Quick background on the inspiration for each:
a) This was one of the questions that popped up from a reader when I first created the project and asked for input.
b) A post on a good friend’s blog about highly effective dishwasher detergent made me wonder about the relative enviro-impact of water use vs. what goes in the water. In her post, she pointed out that they use almost no water for dishwashing because her detergent is that good. Meanwhile, we are the type of family who practically washes our dishes twice–I know! That is such a waste!–but I seriously just can’t stop myself. (Someday, after I’ve exhausted all other environmental avenues, we’ll confront my total and hateful inability to truly conserve water. But it’s going to have to be intervention-style, so no need to go there just yet, right?) And anyway, as you will see in an update coming out next week, I’m less than completely enthused with my homemade dishwasher detergent thus far–and even did run the dishwasher a second time for one load last week–obviously NOT what I’m going for! (In fairness, I have yet to concoct the complete recipe–was trying to get away with fewer ingredients…final verdict will come out once I give all the recommended ingredients a try together. I mean, maybe some things ARE meant to be used only as directed.)
c) I want to start paying $15/month for an awesome-sounding composting service (since I don’t have space anywhere in/around my city house to do it myself). My husband insists this is a waste because garbage disposals essentially serve the same purpose. While I do know enough to understand that composting is actually preferable, I guess I want to find out how MUCH better it is–$180/year better?–and why. (This also relates back to my water use issues, as disposals are water-guzzlers themselves. And we might get a bit into what happens to paper when you recycle it, because I have a sneaking suspicion that composting our paper is a FAR better way to go than the recycling bin…)
June 24, 2010 at 1:29 pm
Ooh! I am interested in all of these…but just wanted to pipe in to say that I am the water-conservation maniac (and I want to be even more of a maniac about it than I already am!) and will gladly help stage the intervention. Installing new toilets is FUN, i SWEAR!
I am also interested in the tangentially-related issue to topic C. of just how good we should feel about recycling…I think recycling makes us feel a bit better about voluminous packaging, etc. (i know i feel satisfied seeing how packed our gigantic recycling bin gets every two weeks) even though it’s at best a tiny improvement to the core issue of consumption and packaging.
June 26, 2010 at 9:31 am
All three are interesting… hopefully they’ll all end up as topics at some point! And about the detergent– honestly, I tried the eco-brands and they sucked. Seemed like such a waste when I know that other non-eco-brand did the job in one (short) load, whereas the eco-brands did a bad job even on the long load.
Also, about the disposal. I almost never use mine because I figure that even in the trash food will degrade, whereas when you use the disposal you waste water AND it goes into the water system. Is this wrong? Or perhaps that could be part of your look at that issue.
June 26, 2010 at 9:46 am
Oh, and I SO KNEW you would pick up on that detergent blog post of mine. Trust me, I had lots more to say about the ecological part of it but according to the terms of the giveaway I couldn’t bash another brand so I kept it short and sweet.