<Green Tallahassee>

energy efficiency, green buildings, slow foods, hybrid cars and alternate fuels.
"A society built on green design, sustainable energy and closed loop systems, a civilization afloat on a cloud of efficient, non-toxic, recyclable technology."
Alex Nikolai Steffan.

Green Food Tallahasee

Sweet Grass Dairy is now selling 100% grass fed beef.
Check out the trailer for the movie, Food, Inc. and FRESH the movie by clicking the Green Food Tallahassee headline above, also for updated listings of local farms and information about the new Bread and Roses Food Coop, and Yahoo Groups TallyProduce and Homegrown Food. Learn about the next Slow Food Tallahassee event and Slow Food USA.
Find out what's going on locally in slow food, organics, local farmers and things good for you--what's a regional fruit calendar?

Looking for information on the new federal energy credits or a list of approved Solar PV systems and modules? Check out the Green Tallahassee Home Page for more information and links.

Upcoming events at Green Calendar

Visit Green Tallahassee Calendar
for Green Things To Do

Green Musings

LAUNCH A GREEN CAREER

Tallahassee Community College provides short-term classroom instruction and hands-on training including: Your Role in the Green Environment, Introduction to Solar Thermal Systems and Introduction to Photovoltaic Systems.

TCC Wakulla Center presents the Green Guide Certification Program through the Wakulla Ecotourism Institute, with 90 contact hours of classroom and field-based training.
Also offering nature based classes and field trips. The Ecotourism Institute membership program offers the opportunity to participate in special events, classes and field trips at a reduced rate.

2008 GREEN TOP TEN

Bike There!
Schools Reducing Pollution and Saving Energy?
Hypermiler or Just a Crazy Driver?
Bringing Energy Efficiency to All City Residents?
Leon County Climate Action
No Illegal Clotheslines in Florida
Solar Powered Golf Cart - Student Prize
USBG Green House Gets Gold
Hybrid Honda Nostalgia
Gainesville Buys Solar

THINKING TRAVEL?

Offset Your Carbon

SUMMER READING:
Books by Tallahassee nature writer, Susan Cerulean, Florida Wildlife Viewing Guide and Tracking Desire: A Journey After Swallowed-tail Kites
Susan is also an editor of Between Two Rivers and The Wild Heart of Florida

Paving Paradise: Florida's Vanishing Wetlands and the Failure of No Net Loss by Craig Pittman and Matthew Waite explains how and why the state's wetlands are continuing to disappear

IGNITION - What You Can Do To Fight Global Warming and Spark a Movement, edited by Jonathan Isham and Sissel Waage

PEAK EVERYTHING: Waking Up to the Century of Decline by Richard Heinberg

Solar House Designs by David Bainbridge, Judy Corbett and John Hofacre

ECOVILLAGES: A Practical Guide to
Sustainable Communities by Jan Martin Bang

Wake Up and Smell the Planet by Grist, a book that is described as a "non-pompous, non-preachy guide to greening your day." Their motto is sign-up for doom and gloom with a sense of humor.

Support your local, independent bookstores by ordering these and more!
We were sadden to see the recent closing of Word Traffic Books. The owners worked hard to create a community space that was much more than just a bookstore.
Keep an eye out in Tallahassee, as they may reemerge in new location.

Calculate Your
Carbon Emissions

What's your carbon footprint on the environment? Calculate Your Own Carbon Footprint.
You can read more about what Tallahassee's doing at this Green Tallahassee Post. Then, share your comments on our blog and we can all learn from each other.

Check your energy spending in Florida with this calculator.

Where to find alternative fuel in
Tallahassee?

Kangaroo/BP 3500 Monroe Street, Available Fuel: E-85*

Waco Food Store/Gas Mart 8120 Woodville Highway, Available Fuel B-20**

Inland Store, North Monroe, Available Fuel: Ethanol

* E-85: An alternative fuel comprised of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline
**B-20: Diesel fuel blended with 20% or less biodiesel

Share A Ride!

Commuter Services of North Florida

LEON COUNTY is a member of ICLEI, the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives.

City of Tallahassee is a designated GOLD green city.
It is the first city in Florida to receive this designation from the Florida Green Building Coalition.

Green Tallahassee is a
Supporting Member of

FLORIDA CITIES RANK

TONS OF CARBON EMITTED PER PERSON TOP RANKING – 100 BEING HIGHEST EMISSIONS

# 81. Sarasota/Bradenton/ Venice

# 80. Jacksonville

# 70. Cape Coral/Fort Myers

# 54. Orlando

# 59. Palm Bay/Melbourne/ Titusville

# 47. Tampa/St. Petersburg/ Clearwater

# 28. Miami/Fort Lauderdale/Miami Beach
source: Brookings Institution
May 2008

"Petroleum springs and coal mines are not inexhaustible, but rapidly diminishing in many places. Will man then, return to the power of water and wind? Or will he emigrate where the most powerful source of heat sends its rays to all? History will show what will come."
Auguste Mouchout. 1870.

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Green Cleaning

I got up close and personal with a pumice stone at a recent green cleaning workshop taught by a remarkable woman, Reenie Rogers, owner of Maureen Rogers Green Cleaning Services in Tallahassee.

Based upon the principles in Karen Logan's book, Clean House, Clean Planet, and others, Reenie assured a small group of us that the pumice stone would get the black off the underside of the toilet bowl rim and would not scratch the porcelain. She brought procelain buttons and let us test drive a huge version of a pumice stone that many of us, to this point had only used on our feet. No scratches!

Each of us left with our own bottle of "green cleaner" made from distilled vinegar and a couple of drops of earth-friendly dishwashing liquid and a container of "earth cleanser" made from baking soda and a few drops of peppermint essential oil. (Smelled great, cleaned even better!)

I learning about baking soda from my grandmother who taught me how to easily remove rings from coffee or tea on cups with a little, barely damp baking soda. I've brought a box to every office I've ever worked in and extolled the virtues of cleaning those nasty, dark stained cups. Who knew Granny was a green?

Reenie told me that the green cleaner would most likely take a stain out of my carpet. I was skeptical, but the next day, I followed her instructions and as they say in TV: the stain is gone!

I was pleased to learn that New York and Illinois have recently passed laws requiring schools to be cleaned using green cleaning methods and products.

If you want to try the magic pumice, invest in gloves and clean without further polluting our water supply.

Co-Op America recently had an online article that suggested the basic top ten to have in your cupboard:

white vinegar
baking soda
borax (also works on ant hills)
hydrogen peroxide
club soda
lemon juice
liquid castile soap
corn meal
olive oil
organic essential oils

You can reach Reenie at swanworks1@yahoo.com

More on green cleaning and the green clean book at green clean blog

Labels: eco-friendly cleaning, green cleaning, pumice

Stumble It! Share

posted by Green Tallahassee @ 7:45 PM

1 Comments:

At 8/05/2007 9:56 AM, Anonymous said…

Thanks. In our next workshop we'll make the All-Purpose Green Cleaner like we did last workshop. But instead of the Earth Cleanser (baking soda & essential oil), we're going to make a green furniture polish. New Leaf Market has the August workshop date if you want to and can attend.

Green Wishes~Reenie