Archive for Recycling

Green Housing Construction

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When building or modifying a home keep sound environmental practices in mind. Green construction improves energy efficiency, resource conservation, indoor air quality, and protects the health of your family. In addition to helping the environment, a “green” house can save you money and provide you with a healthier, quieter, and more comfortable home.

Generally building greener involves one or more of the following:

  • Planning to preserve the natural envrionment
  • Site development which reduces erosion, minimizes paves surfaces, and protects vegetation
  • Water conservation indoors and outdoors
  • Energy efficiency
  • Using recyclable materials and air conditioning costs

Permeable Surfaces
Permeable surfaces such as decomposed (crushed) granite, broken concrete, gravel, mulch and grass or other plants allow water to pass through and soak into the soil beneath, as opposed to running off your yard and contributing to stormwater pollution and flooding.

What You Can Do:

  • Use bricks, stones, broken concrete, crushed granite or gravel for driveways, paths, and patios.
  • Use a contractor who knows and follows regulations concerning construction runoff. Even a small remodel can contribute a large amount of gravel, dirt, and hazardous materials to the storm drain system.
  • Investigate the installation of a ‘gray water’ system – to collect your household’s washing water for re-use in the landscape or for flushing toilets – with your local building department officials to determine if they allow residential use of reclaimed water.

What You Can Do (to increase sustainability in your home):

  • Add insulation to your home.
  • Use innovative, engineered wood products
  • Use recycled – content building materials whenever possible and ask your contractor to recycle their demolition waste.
  • Use adhesives, paints, and cleaners with low volatile organic compounds (VOC) to reduce indoor air pollution.
  • Use light colored roofing to reduce home heat absorption, or consider new “green roofs.”
  • Use double-glazed windows to save on heating and air conditioning costs.
  • When building a house use the sun. Orient your house and plan your landscaping to take advantage of winter sun and summer shade.
  • Use ceiling fans, whole house fans, and attic ventilation to affordably keep your home comfortable.

Choose a smart sprinkler controller for your home

  • A smart sprinkler controller automatically adjusts irrigation schedules in response to changing weather conditions.
  • They are also called “weather-based irrigation controllers.”
  • Smart controllers are a new technology and can be difficult to find.
    For more information log onto www.bewaterwise.com for a listing of manufacturers & websites.
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Posted in: Around the District, Community, Conservation, Customer Infomation, From the Office, Homesteading, Pine Cove Water District, Recycling, Uncategorized

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Spring Gardening Checklist

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Use this checklist to to support and protect new growth in your garden

  1. Prune non-spring blooming shrubs and trees
    (This should be done by the beginning of August)
  2. Prune ornamental grasses and remaining perennial foliage
  3. Make the beds
    (Though leaves and unwanted debris at once served the purpose of protecting your plants, your spring plants are ready for some sun)
  4. Weed, feed, and mulch
    (Clear all unwanted waste and weeds, loosen the soil around the plants, and mix in some organic matter / plant food to ensure your plants have the nutrients they need to grow, bud, and bloom)
  5. Stir compost bin or build one
    (Build or purchase one to organically recycle nutrients and keep them out of landfill)
  6. Apply pest control
    (Follow instructions and always wash your hands when you’re done. Be sure to keep pets and children away from the treated area)
  7. Complete or start landscaping projects
  8. Plan new plantings and beds
    (Always plan your bed before purchasing the plants. Understand your plants environment to properly position them with all their factors taken into consideration)
  9. Clean out the shed and feed the birds
    (Get rid of the old, and in with the new. Go ahead and add bird seed to the bird feeders – they are just as ready for spring as you and your flowers!)
  10. Frost no more!
    (As soon as frost and cold weather are no longer an issue, feel free to apply fertilizer or transplant existing plants and plant new ones)

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Posted in: Around the District, Community, Company News, Compost, Customer Infomation, Freebies, From the Office, Garden, gardening, Pine Cove Water District, Recycling, The Garden, Uncategorized, Weather, Weekend

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Water is the earth’s most vital resource

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The amount of moisture on Earth has not changed. The water the dinosaurs drank millions of years ago is the same water that falls as rain today. But will there be enough for a more crowded world? How we use and reuse water will help define the future of our planet. Water is life. It’s the briny broth of our origins, the pounding circulatory system of the world. We stake our civilizations on the coasts and mighty rivers. Our deepest dread is the threat of having too little – or too much.

People use water in many ways at home: drinking, cooking, bathing, brushing teeth, washing clothes, dishes, and cars, flushing toilets, watering gardens and lawns, and filling swimming pools. Most people do not think much about how much water they use. Perhaps this is partly because they don’t all pay for it each time they use it, except when they buy bottled water.

There are many ways we can conserve water in our homes. Some are easier than others. Leaky faucets and leaky toilets waste very large amounts of water, because even though the flow rates are small, they leak all the time. New designs of toilets and washing machines use much less water than older designs, but replacement may be expensive. Water-saving shower heads save a lot of water, and they are relatively easy and inexpensive to replace. The most effective ways to reduce water use, however, might be the most difficult. Taking “navy showers” (turning off the water while you’re soaping yourself), not planting lavish lawns in areas that are normally arid, and not washing cars so often are examples of effective and simple ways to conserve water.

Furthermore, PCWD does offer a rebate program to our residents! All Rebates must be approved by the General Manager and must include proof of purchase and installation and there will be no repeat rebates allowed for a minimum of 5 years. Within any fiscal year, the maximum total rebate is $250.00 per property. Proof of Purchase is a copy of the receipt that shows the cost of the item. We will not accept a copy of a bill from the person installing the item as proof of purchase. Their bill is for proof of installation only. Labor and Installation are not included in the rebate.

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Posted in: Around the District, Community, Company News, Conservation, Customer Infomation, Freebies, From the Office, Leaks, Pine Cove Water District, Re-purposing, Recycling, Uncategorized, Water Conservation

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Simple Ways to Save Water

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WaterSense Flo

There are many simple things we can do to save water. Click the above link and learn from the water-efficiency hero Flo what you can do today to help protect our water supply!

Play the WaterSense game or engage with your family with some fun, downloadable PDF’s! Move the water-efficiency hero Flo through water pipes and answer water-efficiency questions while avoiding water-wasting monsters. Use the information you’ve learned on this Web site to test your knowledge.

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Posted in: Around the District, Community, Conservation, Customer Infomation, From the Office, Leaks, Pine Cove Water District, Recycling, Water Conservation

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Self Watering Raised Bed Gardens

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In an effort to reduce water usage out of doors, but still be able to garden, one option is a self watering container.  They are an excellent choice because the water is contained under the plant and therefore does not evaporate and is available to the plant 24/7, which makes over or under watering impossible.  As long as the water reserve has water in it, the plant takes what it needs when it needs us and pretty much cuts the human out of the equation all together.  Which brings me to my next point.  Self watering containers free up your time.  Instead of being a slave to watering the garden, you just make sure the containers are kept full and that is all you have to do.  While you can use a drip or soaker system on a timer, these methods take more effort to install and the squirrels love to reek havoc on drip system parts.  Luckily, they cannot do much damage to a self watering container.

So if these self watering containers are so fabulous, why isn’t everyone using them?  Well, price is a big obstacle.  They are fairly expense when compared to other types of containers of a similar size.  Plus, what if you want to make a raised bed veggie garden for instance?  The amount of containers you would have to buy would be extensive.  So what is the solution?

A self watering raised be garden of course.  I found this video over at mylittlehomestead.com, where they show how they made a self watering raised bed garden using a 55 gallon drum cut in half.  Genius!  Why didn’t I think of that?  Here is the video.
 

I think this is a fabulous way to have your cake and eat it too. All the benefits of a raised bed garden combined with the benefits of a self watering container. What could be better? If you try this in your garden, let us know! Send us pictures or video and we will post it here on the blog. Also if you discover how to make any improvements to this design, let us know. I will be trying this in my own garden. I think it would be great.

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Posted in: Edible Landscaping, From the Office, Garden, gardening, Raised Bed Gardens, Re-purposing, Recycling, The Garden, Water Conservation

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Frugal Friday

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Time for another Frugal Friday tip.  I have talked a lot about raised bed and container gardens.  But there is one other way to grow a few veggies or some flowers.  Window boxes.  Window boxes are a great way to grow cherry tomatoes, lettuces and other small or mini varieties of vegetables. They are also perfect for flowers and ivy and add a charm to your home that not much else can.   They are  also excellent for making an herb garden.  What could be better than the smell of mint or basil or rosemary wafting through your kitchen window from a window box full of herbs.  Plus your cooking will improve as you will be able to just walk outside and snip fresh herbs to add to your dishes.

Window boxes are very easy to make and you can use scrap wood you have laying around or can find cheaply.  Old fence boards, plywood and other things like dresser drawers, can all be used to make window boxes.  They can be as plain or as fancy as you like.  Add trim or appliques for a shabby chic look or leave them plain for a more rustic approach.  You can even buy them pre-made and just hang them.  There are as many styles as there are budgets. Let your imagination run wild and just remember to design them so that they will co-ordinate with your home’s décor.   Here are a few examples:

Shabby Chic window boxThis example is from the blog My Shabby Streamside Studio and was made from scrap wood.  An applique was added and then the whole thing was painted shabby chic white.  Plastic window boxes tucked down inside the wooden box,  hold a variety of plants and can be changed out from season to season.

Rustic window boxHere is an example of a rustic wooden window box that was hung on brackets.

Window Box CottagesAdorable cottage style window boxes on a shed give it charm.

dresser-drawer-window-boxesHow’s this for creativity?  Old dresser drawers make perfect window boxes!

I am sure if you do a quick search online, you can come up with many more ideas, especially on sites like Pinterest.  So why not go out and rummage around  in your garage or at the local thrift store and see what scrap wood you can come up with to   create some lovely and useful window boxes for your cabin, cottage or castle and then get planting!

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Posted in: Customer Infomation, From the Office, Garden, Homesteading, Raised Bed Gardens, Re-purposing, Recycling

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Frugal Friday

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The cleverness and imagination of some people never ceases to amaze me.  I just love when someone finds a new use for an item that would otherwise end up in a landfill.  Take automobile or truck tires for instance.  We all have the odd friend, neighbor or relative that plunks an old tractor tire in their yard and plants flowers in it.  Some even go so far as to paint the tire first, and while there is nothing wrong with this as a tire is essentially a raised be garden,  you have to admit that they just aren’t that attractive.  To me, if I am going to upcycle something into my garden, it has to not only have a useful purpose, but it has to look good and add to the overall aesthetic of my garden.  After all, the whole point of upcycling is to give a new purpose and life to old items and create a unique and useful garden space.  Making your garden look like the neighborhood dump isn’t part of the plan!

With that in mind I set out in search of new uses for old tires.  I chose tires because they are easily available and most everyone has them or can get their hands on them and usually for free or very cheaply.  Plus unlike wooden items, they last for a very long time, so you don’t have to keep redoing them as they rot out.

One word of caution.  The jury is still out on whether or not it is safe to use old tires to grow edibles.  Here is an article about it and then you can do your own research and decide for yourself if you want to use them to grow edible crops or not.   However,   there are plenty of other things you can do with them and you can always plant other types of plants in them, such as annuals,  should you decide to use them for planters.

I thought these were adorable, although I am not sure if you can actually sit on them since the sign says “Please do not sit”.  But with a little imagination you could make them so that you can sit on them and I think they would be great for kids.

Tire Seats

Of course, there is always the traditional tire swing.

tire swing 3

tire swing 4

tire swing 2

tire swing 1

How about a sandbox?

Tire Sand Box

A vinyl shower curtain or table cloth would be the perfect cover for this when it is not in use.

This is very clever.  Stair treads made from old tires.

Tire stair treds

And of course, you can always make a hanging planter.

Tire Planters

Hopefully, this will give you some ideas to get your own creative juices flowing!  There are many more ideas and a quick Google search will yield lots more than I can put into a post.  If you do decide to use tires for growing edibles, there are some great tutorials on line for growing potatoes in tires, making raised bed gardens, planters and retaining walls.  The sky seems to be the limit with what you can do with old tires!  If you decide to give them a try, drop us an email and a picture of your project.  Send it to Vicki at pcwd . org.  Have fun!

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Posted in: Frugal Friday, Garden, Raised Bed Gardens, Re-purposing, Recycling, The Garden, Upcycling

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