Max out your miles
Yeah, this is a house and home publication, and your car isn’t part of your house. But, for one thing, lots of us practically live in our cars, and for another thing, most household budgets have been getting heavier in the “gasoline” column lately, and therefore lighter in the “cool stuff for the pad” column.
Therefore, we think it’s perfectly appropriate to let you know about hypermiling, a fancy word for the simple practice of changing one’s driving habits to reap better gas mileage. Check out hypermiling.com for full exposition of the geekitude possible when you drive a hybrid and spend a lot of time online. Or just save yourself some gas with these techniques:
*Accelerate slowly.
*Coast whenever possible. Put your car in neutral if you can.
*Avoid sudden braking.
*Observe the speed limit.
*Keep your tires inflated.
 |
Yeah, it all adds up to driving like a granny—and to surprising gas savings. I tried it and immediately upped my MPG by 20 percent—enough for, say, that Dwell subscription I’ve been wanting.—Erika Howsare
Hay is for horses…
But straw is for houses. Yep, that’s right; plenty of people are taking a step toward ecological responsibility by using straw as a primary wall component in their homes. Apart from being an environmental do-gooder, other individual perks include: energy efficiency, sound proofing, lower cost and potential use of local materials.
O.K., let’s take a step back. What the heck is a straw bale home? For the most part these homes still look and, uh, smell similar to your average house. The bales are simply used like insulation, filling in the walls of an erected frame. Or they can take on the heftier task of load bearing—i.e., holding up the roof. Surprisingly, straw bale is actually fire resistant. After a layer of chicken-wire is pinned in, an earth plaster or cement stucco leaves the walls looking solid and cozy.
 Straw bale construction often has a sculptural, adobe-like quality; the Gyovai/Muehlman house also includes a “truth window” so visitors can see the straw. |
Reed Muehlman and Christine Gyovai, local permaculturists, took part in their own straw bale home construction. “We left a truth window,” says Muehlman, just in case visiting friends don’t believe the walls are actually jam packed with blocks of straw. Looks like the big, bad wolf can huff and puff at today’s straw houses, but he’ll have to pick his pork up at Kroger.—Suzanne van der Eijk
Mercury: there’s the rub
So you finally made the eco-friendly switch from incandescent to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). Good for you. But what are you going to do now that one of them has finally bitten the dust (after 8,000 hours of use)? If you’re thinking of tossing it in the trash, think again. These long-lasting lights aren’t that eco-friendly once unscrewed.
Like all fluorescents, CFLs contain small amounts of mercury, a neurotoxin that can be released into the environment upon breakage of the bulb. Not only should you be careful not to break a CFL, you should also make sure it doesn’t end up in a landfill.
 |
The Rivanna Solid Waste Authority collects unbroken CFLs Monday through Saturday at both its Ivy and McIntire Road sites, according to its executive director, Thomas Frederick. As for where the bulbs wind up, “we contract with a private firm that separates the components of CFLs and recycles them,” Frederick says. Drop-off details can be found on the RSWA website: avenue.org/rswa.
In the unlucky event that you have a broken CFL on your hands, make sure your home is adequately ventilated and avoid breathing any vapors from the bulb. The EPA website has further guidance: epa.gov/mercury.—Kathryn Faulkner
Farm table
Zucchini and chocolate? Certainly not the first food combo I’d come up with, but Anne-Marie Parrish, local author of the new cookbook, From the Farm, demonstrates how culinary innovation can certainly lead to delectable surprises. Parrish and her husband farm in Fluvanna County (look for Randy’s Produce Farm at the City Market), so you know she knows her veggies. Her eclectic approach to ingredients may have made recipe development a significant challenge, but while the kids were asking, “What’s in this, Mom?” they were probably scooping up seconds.
Apart from all the necessary nourishment you get from fresh local produce, Parrish stresses the nourishment for the soul that comes along with it. My soul was undoubtedly nourished by the genuine kitchen guidance listed on the back of the section dividers—stuff like “Don’t freeze cooked egg whites” and a recipe for a baking-soda cleaner for Teflon.
 Eat your veggies? But how? A local farmer’s cookbook comes to the rescue. |
Parrish’s mother and sister also made recipe contributions to the book (which you can find at the City Market and Feast!). So this is definitely a family affair, with something for everybody—even if it means you have to try the beets.—S.V.
Class act
As you return to the classroom this month, don’t leave your eco-awareness at the door. Pack lightly for the sake of the planet and your pocketbook.
Experts say Americans will spend $600 on back-to-school shopping. But, my green friends, do you really need all that stuff? Consult the list, and look no further than the nearest junk drawer, where pens, pencils, crayons and highlighters abound. Dr. Denise Young, mother of five, recycles last year’s binders and notebooks, saving money and resources. When it comes to clothing, electronics, and supplies, embrace the concept of “share and share alike” among friends, family members, classmates and roommates.
Next on the list: paper products. Save a tree by minding your Ps and Cs: Look for PCW, Post-Consumer Waste, preferably 100 percent recycled, and PCF, Processed Chlorine-Free (Staples). The Blue Ridge Eco Shop carries pens and pencils made of leftover furniture wood, as well as recycled cardboard three-ring binders (no vinyl or PVC).
The popular Laptop Lunchbox (available at Rebecca’s) is lead-free, BPA-free, reusable, and easy to clean.
Don’t forget the quintessential back-to-school item: the backpack. “Buy something that lasts,” Young suggests. “A good backpack from Lands End or L.L. Bean can last years.”
Now enjoy the rest of summer vacation!