DISHWASHER YES - DRY CYCLE NO

First of all, I hate using my dishwasher. Seems silly to me, but they say less water is used with the dishwasher. Filling a basin with water and just rinsing might use even less water. Don't know. In any case, I have started to stop the dishwasher when it starts the dry cycle. With my dishwasher that's a good 30 minutes of hot air. I just open up the dishwasher, pull out the shelves and let it air dry. Not using heat in the drying cycle saves 20% of your dishwasher's total electricity use.

My goal is to stop using the dishwasher altogether. It has to be better. It is especially easy when one is a vegan. No animal fat to break down. Half my dishes just need a rinse as it is. Plus when I cook my wonderful recipes, I wash as I go.

HAVE YOU STOPPED FLUSHING YOUR TOILET YET?

I stopped flushing my toilet over two years ago. I'm sure you've heard the expression, "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down." I know I know it sounds gross and my husband thinks it's gross not to flush, but I don't care what anyone thinks about it. All I care about is not flushing the toilet. This is an effortless action that we can do to help the environment. Each flush wastes six gallons of water. So stop being so finicky - stop flushing. And, by the way, it does not smell if you don't flush.

PS Since we're getting personal, let's talk toilet paper. Have you ever considered not using it? Stay tuned to my take on not using toilet paper.

PUBLIX RECYCLES ALL PLASTIC BAGS

I just spoke to Publix's Environmental Department and I was told that they will recycle all plastic bags: papertowel and toilet paper bags, bread and veggie bags, plastic bag packaging from objects purchased, etc. Since it is nearly impossible to not have some of this plastic, it is nice to know someone is recycling it. Just put it in the proper receptacle in front of their store.

GIVE UP YOUR DRYER

ONE OF MY GOALS TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT WAS TO STOP USING MY DRYER. WELL I FINALLY DID IT AND I LOVE IT! PEOPLE THINK IT'S EASIER TO DRY CLOTHES IN THE DRYER, BUT I FIND IT EASIER TO HANG. I CAN'T PUT A LINE OUTSIDE, PLUS THE RAIN IN FLORIDA IS UNPREDICTABLE, SO I HAVE TWO FOLDING RACKS AND ONE ROLLING CLOTHES STAND IN MY GARAGE. MY FRIEND HAS ONE FOLDING RACK IN HER ONE BEDROOM APT, PLUS SHE HANGS LIGHT WEIGHT CLOTHES ON THE SHOWER ROD. I EVEN STARTED DOING MY TOWELS - I LOVE THE ROUGHNESS OF DRYING ON RACKS. SO GOOD FOR YOUR SKIN. ANYWAY, WHEN YOU HANG YOUR CLOTHES OR TOWELS OVER THE RACKS THEY ARE ALREADY FOLDED IN HALF WHEN YOU REMOVE THEM. (I'M LAZY SO I LOVE AS MUCH HELP AS POSSIBLE). ALSO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO FOLD THEM RIGHT AWAY, LIKE WHEN YOU USE THE DRYER YOU MUST REMOVE THEM IMMEDIATELY OR THEY GET ALL WRINKLED. IF YOU THINK YOUR CLOTHES WILL BE WRINKLED IF YOU DONT USE DRYER, YOU ARE MISTAKEN. MOST ITEMS LOOK GREAT. SOME ITEMS, MIGHT NEED 20 MINUTES AIR DRY, WHICH I HOPE USES LESS ENERGY. IT'S NOT HOT AIR, SO PROBABLY. YOU WILL NEED SOME SPECIAL HANGERS WHICH YOU CAN GET WHEN YOU BUY SOMETHING. THE HANGERS HAVE TO HAVE ROUNDED EDGES SO THEY DONT MAKE MARKS ON THE ITEM. I LOVE NO USING MY DRYER. IT IS A BIG ENERGY USER. TRY IT, YOU'LL LOVE IT! I GUARANTEE IT.

NO MORE SPONGES

Currently, I have some sponges because when I had my cats we had to have separate colored sponges so that I wouldn't mistakenly wash my dishes with their sponge. Now that my beloveds have all passed away as of 2008 I don't need to do that anymore, so once the remaining sponges are gone, I will only use pieces of worn clothing to wash my dishes. I do use a kind of plastic netting for scraping hard to clean pots or pans (you can put the cloth inside the netting). I have so many of these netting bags that I wish I could stop buying the stuff that comes in them, such as shallots, which I use a lot in gourmet cooking. But, now that I am writing this, I realize I MUST stop buying the netted items. I will check other grocers to see if they sell the shallots individually. I will also call the company and ask them to stop using the netting. Please send me any solutions you might have.

PS I found shallots at Winn Dixie without the netting. I'm still going
to call the company to voice my complaint about the plastic holders.