Vinegar. Vinegar’s place on this list will come as a surprise to no one; it can help you clean in almost every room of your house. (Don't worry, the smell dissipates.) Vinegar is acetic, which helps cut through dirt while killing mold, bacteria, and viruses. You might already know that a solution with equal parts white (also called distilled) vinegar and water can help you clean kitchen and bathroom surfaces -- just remember to keep it away from marble and other porous stone surfaces -- but it can do so much more.

Don’t want your dinner guests to know you spent $4 on that bottle of wine? Remove the price tag (and other papery stickers) by sponging on vinegar, letting it sit for a few minutes and then scraping off the sticker. And stop averting your eyes from the crumb-catching crack between your oven and counter. Grab a thin, blunt instrument (like a butter knife), wrap it once in a vinegar-soaked cloth, and slowly drag the knife toward you in the crack. 


Baking soda. Vinegar’s partner in crime, baking soda cuts odors and can be used as a gently abrasive cleaner. The combination of the vinegar and baking soda can help keep drains clear and de-skunk dogs (Really. We tested this one twice just to be thorough.). Give your oven a good cleaning by wetting down the inside surfaces with water with a sponge or a spray bottle, and then sprinkle baking soda all over -- or make a thick paste of the two and cover the surfaces. Let the baking soda do its work for a few hours (or overnight) and then wipe clean. Remove marks (like a crayon masterpiece) from painted walls with baking soda on a damp sponge. Water and baking soda can also be used to remove stains on fabric, or to gently clean surfaces.

9 Pantry Items that Double as Cleaning Tools, from Food52


Salt. Salt can be used to spot-clean a stained wooden cutting board; make a thick paste with salt, water, and baking soda, and scrub away your stains. When a dish boils over in the oven, cover the spill with salt while it’s still wet, it will make it easier to clean up later -- after the oven cools down of course. Don’t worry if your guests ignored the stack of coasters you set out; make a thin paste of salt and vegetable oil and rub it on the white rings their beverages left on your wooden tables. Salt can also help you clean your cast iron pans by gently scrubbing away stubborn bits of food from without removing your seasoning.


Lemon. Lemon’s mildly acidic nature will help you you make quick work of grease and grime, with an all-natural fresh scent to boot. Just add water to lemon juice to remove grease on your stove and appliances. Lemon juice can clean up brass -- just double-check that the item is brass, and not brass-plated! Amanda gets serious about washing dishes -- take it to the next level and add a little lemon juice to your dish soap when you’re filling the sink with hot, soapy water. Combining lemon juice with with kosher salt and mineral oil can help you deep-clean a wooden cutting board, and after you’re done cooking (or cleaning) with a lemon, don’t forget to put it through your garbage disposal to get rid of any lingering odors.


9 Pantry Items that Double as Cleaners, from Food52


Rice. Uncooked white rice can help you clean out vases or thin-necked bottles. Partially fill them with warm water and a handful of rice and shake vigorously -- cover the top of the vase with your hand please. If your vase has a stubborn white film in it, fill the vase with white vinegar (enough to cover the residue), let it sit for a bit, and then add the rice and shake. Add a handful of uncooked rice to your blade coffee grinder and whizz it up to remove oily residue. (Don’t use this method on a burr grinder, and you do this often, stick with uncooked instant rice.)


Club soda. It isn’t just for your favorite 3-ingredient drink -- it’s also great for when you spill it. Club soda works to remove stains from fabrics and carpets if you act quickly. Pour or dab it on liberally, then blot and gently rub the spot away. Streaks on stainless steel will disappear after being buffed with a club soda-soaked cloth, and porcelain sinks and fixtures can be cleaned with club soda too. Give the inside of your refrigerator a good wipe down with a mixture of salt and soda water and then re-organize it.


(Source: food52)

by Colin Beavan

뉴욕 맨해튼에 사는 Colin, 그의 부인, 그리고 그의 18개월짜리 딸이 1년동안 환경에 carbon footprint 를 남기지 않고 살아가는 생활을 글로 옮긴 친환경 작가.

무척 힘들게 느껴진다... 그리고 왜 저자가 많은 논란에 휩싸였을지 상상이 간다. 화장실의 두루마리 휴지, 집 안에 전등도 없이 살았다니, 그것도 맨해튼에서. . . 쩝.

난 음식물 쓰레기와 재활용 쓰레기 분리 수거, 비닐/포장재료 줄이는 것에서부터 시작해야겠다.

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by Colin Beavan.



NYC의 어느 작가가 그의 프라다 구두 신는 아내, 18개월 짜리 딸, 그리고 그의 개를 동반하여 1년동안 환경에 carbon footprint를 남기지 않는 친환경운동을 하기로 결심한다.

그 한 해동안...
과정 1. 쓰레기를 없애기
: 장을 볼 때 장바구니 이용, 비닐백을 사용하지 않는 데서 시작해서 심지어는 콩, 견과류를 살 때에도 집에서 유리병을 가져가 사오는 방식을 채택.
: 피자 한 슬라이스를 사 먹을 때에도 종이접시를 사용하지 않음.
: 코를 풀 때에도 휴지를 사용하지 않음... 등이 있다.

과정 2. Carbon footprint 를 남기지 않기
: 자가용은 물론 대중교통도 사용하지 않는다. 자전거를 이용하거나 걷는다.
: 엘레베이터도 사용하지 않아 9층 아파트를 계단으로 오르락 내리락. 보안상 비상계단 사용을 허가하지 않는 빌딩을 제외하고는 사무실 빌딩들도 계단 사용.
: 명절의 가족 방문도 횟수를 줄이는 대신 방문기간을 늘이기로 함.

지금은 여기까지 밖에 안 읽었다.

야심찬 아이디어에 대단한 실행능력을 겸비했다.  
그의 블로그 http://noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/ 를 자주자주 참고하려 한다.

난 과연 어떤 거나 실천할 수 있을까. 돈도 아낄겸 택시 이용부터 줄이기로. (소심...)

(Source: macmillanusa)

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