23/03/2005 - Spring is
officially here and this Easter weekend will
see many people across the country reaching
for their rubber gloves to carry out a spot
of spring cleaning. Polishing and painting
needn't be seasonal chores, however. You can
have some good clean fun with the Environment
Agency's 'green cleaning' tips and why not
pledge to clean up a few of your habits to
help the planet on our brand new World Environment
Day website.
If youre planning a bout of seasonal cleaning,
choosing environmentally friendly products
is just one way to help make it less painful
on the planet. To make your clean as green
as possible some cleaning products can even
be dispensed with altogether in favour of
more traditional alternatives. For example,
boiling water, baking soda and vinegar is
an ideal solution for cleaning drains, whilst
soap or ecological shampoo can be used to
clean rugs and upholstery (see below for further
tips).
Spring is also an ideal time to tackle household
maintenance that has built up over the winter
months. Heres how to help get your home in
harmony with the environment for the coming
year:
Make repairing dripping taps a priority -
they could be wasting 13 litres of water a
day.
Replace old light bulbs with energy efficient
versions and batteries with rechargeable ones.
After touching up your paintwork donate any
leftovers to community projects the UK wastes
6.2 million litres of paint every year and
avoid putting oil, paint, varnish or solvent
down the drain.
Only use washing machines (or dishwashers)
when they are full and try to dry your clothes
on a clothesline rather than in a tumble dryer.
Avoid washing clothes at 50 degrees no garment
needs to be washed at that temperature and
turn the iron off when you have only one thing
left to iron.
Brighten up your house with plants that dont
need much water such as lavender, buddleia
and wall flowers.
Spring cleaning also tends to generate a lot
of waste, so:
Find someone who can use things you no longer
want or take them to a charity shop.
Try to recycle - if your council operates
a doorstep-recycling scheme, put out as much
waste as you can for collection, or us your
nearest facilities, often at your local supermarket.
Make compost from your biodegradable waste
and use it on your garden.
Put out what you do need to throw away as
close to collecting time as possible.
To encourage us all to make small changes
in our daily lives to see how collectively
we can bring real benefits to our environment,
the Environment Agency has launched its online
pledge campaign in support of World Environment
Day (5th June). The pledge campaign asks people
to sign-up to one (or more) of 10 simple pledges.
As more and more people pledge the campaign
site provides up-to-the-minute totals of how
much water and energy is being saved, and
how much carbon dioxide emissions are being
reduced.
To sign-up and pledge your support visit
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/wedpledge
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Environment Agency research shows that:
73% of the English and Welsh population might
do more for the environment if they thought
it would make a difference;
77% would do more if it was made easier for
them;
the introduction of financial incentives such
as a subsidy for environmentally-friendly
fuel or money back on recycled goods would
encourage 71% of the population to do more.
MORI Social Research Institute conducted interviews
between 20 22 February 2004 using telephone
omnibus methodology, among a representative
quota sample of 913 respondents aged 16+ across
England and Wales (including 858 respondents
aged 16+ across England). Interviews were
conducted using random digit dial. All data
have been weighted to the known national profile
of England and Wales.
World Environment Day (WED) is held on 5
June each year. Last year over 12,000 people
signed up to one or more pledges and in a
year they saved over 100 million litres of
water, reduced of carbon dioxide emissions
by one million kg and cleared half a million
plastic bags from the environment.
Work out just how much carbon dioxide you
produce and receive great tips on how to cut
down your pollution straight away. Visit www.carboncalculator.org
to measure your score.
WHAT DID GRANNY USE BEFORE HEAVY-DUTY HOUSEHOLD
CHEMICALS WERE INVENTED?
Vinegar
Ant repellent wipe the affected area with
half vinegar/half water
Brushes if hardened paint is the problem,
boil in undiluted vinegar. Leave to soak for
an hour then wash with soapy water.
Clogged Showerhead dismantle the showerhead,
soak the pieces in white vinegar for two to
three hours. Clean off any sediment with a
stiff brush.
Drain Cleaner Mix 200ml (8 fl oz) of vinegar
with 75g (3 oz) of baking soda. Pour directly
into the drain and leave for 10 minutes. Pour
clean hot water down the drain to clear grease
and debris.
Kettle descaler cover the element with
equal quantities of water and vinegar. Bring
to the boil and leave to soak overnight. Brush
off the sediment and wash thoroughly.
Perspiration and Deodorant Stains dab the
area with undiluted white vinegar, then wash
in the usual way.
Chewing Gum to remove simply saturate the
area with vinegar and the gum will dissolve!
Heating the vinegar will speed the process
up.
Baking soda
Scouring Pans make into a paste and scrub
stainless steel, iron and cooper pots.
Fridge Smells put an open box of baking
soda in the fridge to absorb odours.
Natural deodorant 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
to a cup of baking soda brush or sprinkle
on after a shower.
Indigestion instead of antacid, mix ½
teaspoon with a cup of water and drink in
one go (Note: If your diet is salt restricted,
do not use baking soda internally).
Irritated Skin use in bathwater.
Nappies keeps nappy buckets fresh.
Bins a cheap alternative to freshen up
a smelly bin.
Carpets to get rid of smells, sprinkle
on the carpet and leave overnight. Vacuum
up the next day.
Washing power allergy try using baking
soda to wash clothes and bedding.
Sunburn soak in a cool baking soda bath
(also good for chickenpox and mosquito bites).
Pets sprinkle in cat litter to keep smells
away. Accidents can be treated with baking
soda mixed with lemon essential oil.
Olive oil
Soft Skin Use as a soap-free cleanser or
intensive moisturiser.
Furniture Polish 2 parts olive oil, 1 part
lemon juice (or white wine vinegar).
Hair Conditioner Rub a tiny drop between
palms and smooth onto dry hair.
Manicure Soak hands in warm water containing
a few drops of olive oil.
Lip Balm Melted with beeswax and poured
into a smell tin (also good as a leather conditioner).
Hand scrub rub olive oil into hands, add
sugar and scrub gently.
Shiny brass- buff with olive oil after cleaning
to keep brass from tarnishing.
Reflexology great for a foot massage.
Scalp conditioner rub head with olive oil
and wrap with warm, moist towel.
Epsom Salts
Relaxing bath 2 cups of salts in a warm
bath or ½ a cup to a footbath.
Splinters soak area in Epsom Salt solution
to draw out splinter.
Exfoliator massage handfuls over wet skin,
wash off thoroughly.
Other tips
Non-toxic glue 1 part flour to 2 parts
water, combine in a saucepan and simmer. Allow
to cool.
Moths Lavender oil and orange peel deter
moths.
Wine stains Treat straightaway sprinkle
with salt to absorb the spill and brush off.
Itching skin warm and wet tea bags (also
good for cold sores).
Mosquitoes rub orange or onions (!) on
exposed skin.
Gnats & midges place some neat vanilla
extract in a small open container to keep
them away.
Slugs copper wire wrapped around pots
apparently it gives off a small electric shock!
