Some things we all can do

At one of our street meetings the question of water emergencies was raised, and it was suggested that as all of our street is on bore water, except one family, it was suggested that we look into installing handpumps, which could be used when we have no power. I investigated this idea, but found the cost of handpumps, plus installation would be too expensive for most of us. My suggestion is that if we wish to store water for emergencies we should seriously consider purchasing a 200 to 500 litre Water Tank, which are readily available, and a much cheaper option.

As we are trying to give up using “nasty” type cleaning products, to help our carbon footprint, the following are a few tips using good old fashioned vinegar.

LAUNDRY: An easy way to periodically clean out soap scum and disinfect your washing machine is to pour in two cups of white distilled vinegar, then run the machine through the full cycle without any clothes or detergent.

Instead of expensive fabric conditioners, add 275 mls, of white distilled vinegar to your rinse cycle to keep your linen soft.

For an antibacterial rinse, add 275 mls of white distilled vinegar to your rinse cycle to kill any remaining bacteria.

CLEANING: Fill a recycled spray bottle with 2 parts water, 1 part distilled white vinegar, and a couple of drops of “green” washing up liquid. This will make an effective quick clean solution. Suitable for glass, stainless steel, and plastic laminate surfaces.

To remove lime scale from your kettle, fill the kettle with water and add 100 mls of white distilled vinegar. Let it stand overnight, then rinse well with cold water and it is ready to use.

Lots more vinegar tips for those interested, and there will be more to come.

Peter

Te Roto Road Greenest Street Launch

The Kapiti Greenest Street competition is underway and the Te Roto Road whanau has a lot of work to do.  Our average environmental footprint is 3.5 Earths.  Converted to land area, the collective footprint is equivalent to 18 Otaki Racecourses.  Clearly there's room for improvement!

Fortunately we're up for the challenge and there's nothing like a street BBQ to get the ideas flowing.  Already we're fired up by the sense of community spirit that's developed and the generosity that is pouring out from everyone involved.  So now we have to bottle it up into a plan so we can capitalise on the quick wins and have the sustenance required for our more ambitious ideas.  I can see we're going to need a few more street meetings to keep everyone motivated.  Oh well, it's all for a good cause!