Join the Doe Network.

I cannot imagine the horror of someone I love going missing. Hopefully, you can’t imagine it either, and never will. But for some of us, that horror is all too real. And the longer a person is missing, the harder it is to find them. That’s why there are so many unsolved missing persons cases. That’s where the Doe Network comes in.

The Doe Network is “a volunteer organization devoted to assisting Law Enforcement in solving cold cases concerning Unexplained Disappearances and Unidentified Victims from North America, Australia and Europe. It is our mission to give the nameless back their names and return the missing to their families.” They work in three ways:

• using their website to give the cases exposure
• organizing volunteers search for clues on these cases and making possible matches between missing and unidentified persons
• soliciting media exposure for these cases that need it

This process has been used to close numerous cases through finding the missing person and naming or finding an unidentified person. You can help solve more cases by volunteering with the Doe Network or its sister agency North American Missing Persons Network. Many states and other organizations have their own networks which can use support.

So if you are good at solving mysteries, if you never forget a face, if you want to reunite loved ones, consider joining the Doe Network. Someone will be very grateful for the closure your efforts can help bring.

"Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live." - Dorothy Thompson

Move greenly.

My family and I recently moved from Atlanta to Little Rock, and though the process wasn’t nearly as bad as I had feared (thank you, Kwadjo!) we did create much more waste than I would have liked – packing material, tape, household items, and all those boxes!

The process inspired me to find ways to move greenly, that is, in an environmentally responsible manner. (Yes, I finally succumbed to using the word green and not meaning a color.) So if you’re planning a move, consider these methods to reduce your footprint to only those required to get from your old home to your new one:

* Donate usable items that won’t make the move with you. Clothes, books, kitchenware, and other items are often gladly accepted by human services agencies. The key here is to start early. If you wait until the last minute, you may not have time to drop off the items and the agencies may not be able schedule a pickup on short notice. In many communities, you can call 211 to find a list of local human services agencies.

* Reclaim used boxes. You can often get them for free at grocery stores. Or try Freecycle.org, Craigslist.org, or UsedCardboardBoxes.com.

* Choose reusable plastic boxes. There are some great services now that deliver clean, sturdy, reusable plastic boxes, then pick them up at your new place after you move. Find them at Rentagreenbox.com, greenmoversusa.com, earthfriendlymoving.com, or other companies.

* Use biofuel for the move. A number of companies now promote their use of biodiesel fueled trucks for moving.

* Donate your boxes to UsedCardboardBoxes.com. They’ll make sure they get a second life. This is also a great opportunity for companies that go through a lot of boxes.

* Recycle your boxes once you unpack them at your new place. Check early to find out your new pick up dates or drop off locations.

These are just a few of the many ways to make your next move less painful for you and for our planet.

"Forever is composed of nows." - Emily Dickinson

Recycle your carpet.

Now that our move to Little Rock is getting closer (woo hoo!), Kwadjo and I are preparing to sell our home near Atlanta. We're doing all we can to make the home more inviting for potential buyers including replacing the carpet. But what to do with our old carpet? Recycle it, of course!

The Carpet America Recovery Effort "is a joint industry-government effort to increase the amount of recycling and reuse of post-consumer carpet and reduce the amount of waste carpet going to landfills." What a great idea! You may be surprised at the innovative ways people are reusing carpet. Did you know it can be reprocessed and used to make lumber, soundproofing barriers, plastic, and other items?

So if you are planning to replace your carpet, visit carpetrecovery.org or download this list of carpet reclamation centers (PDF). They are located all over the country. But if there's not one in your area, consider starting one. Here are two resources to show you how: here and here.

Keep your carpet out of the landfill - recycle it!

This country will not be a permanently good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a reasonably good place for all of us to live in. -Theodore Roosevelt, 26th US President (1858-1919)

Make your own fuel.

We are experiencing a significant gas shortage here in Atlanta. Nowadays, it's not unusual to drive by a dozen or more gas stations, all with no gas. I really appreciate our hybrid in times like these, but I still wish I could convince Kwadjo to get a grease car. Wouldn't it be great to be able to have an automotive fuel supply separate from big oil? We'll now you can. Check out these options for making your own biofuel:

* The Ester Machine System from Green World Biofuels is "a complete biodiesel production system that enables the operator to turn used fryer or virgin vegetable oils into high quality finished fuel." You'll need to identify a source of oil to use as feedstock.

* The EFuel100 MicroFueler™ is "the world's first portable ethanol micro-refinery system." The system can run on their sugar-based feedstock (available for purchase) or you can use waste ethanol - leftover beer, wine, and spirits.

* What if you have oil but don't want to use biodiesel? Perhaps a vegetable fuel conversion kit from Greasecar.com is right for you. Once it's installed, your diesel engine can run on straight vegetable oil in any climate.

* What if you drive a vehicle with a gas engine? In that case, check out the Flex Box Smart Kit E85 conversion kits from Flex Fuel US. Their models are the only conversion kits approved by the EPA. They allow your vehicle to run on anything from pure gasoline to E85 (85% ethanol).

This kind of DIY technology is expensive at the start, but may make sense if your home or business uses a lot of fuel or you have a good supply of reagents and feedstock to make the fuel. Note that there may be tax credits available for purchase of these machines. And you'll want to make sure you don't run afoul of tax law by trying to sell the fuel.

Of course one of the best ways to decrease dependence on oil and gas is to use alternative transportation - transit, walking, biking, teleworking, or at least carpooling. Safe journey!

"There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered." - Nelson Mandela

Tell your municipality about RecycleBank.

My last post focused on incentives for individuals to recycle. But what about community recycling programs? There are only three homes on our street that use the curbside recycling service. My mother's street has a similar issue - only she and one of her neighbors uses curbside recycling, and their curbside pickup is free! So what can we do to encourage recycling in our communities? The incentive program from Recycle Bank may provide the answer.

Recycle Bank forms partnerships with municipalities who want to encourage recycling in their communities. Recycling reduces landfill and waste disposal costs, in addition to providing a cleaner environment for residents to live in. Residents in the community put all their recyclable items in a single bin and when it is picked up the bin in weighed. Residents get rewards in the form of Recycle Bank Points Recycle Bank Points. These points can be redeemed for coupons for various goods and services, including shopping at CVS, Bed Bath and Beyond, and 1-800-FLOWERS. Residents can also use their points to get coupons for food and other household items. Basically, the more you recycle, the more rewards you earn.

But what if you're at a college or university, or an apartment complex which doesn't have curbside waste pickup? In these cases, Recycle Bank Kiosks may provide the answer. After your organization signs up, you can recycle your materials, and then redeem the rewards points you earn.

If you think this is as great as I do, tell your municipal, school, organization leaders about Recycle Bank and encourage them establish a partnership. Forward this post to your officials, write them a letter, give them a call, or speak at an open meeting. It's a win for you, for your town, and for our world. Happy recycling!

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Donate a meal.

For many reasons, food prices are increasing - all over the world. That can make preparing a meal challenging - whether you're an elderly woman on a fixed income, a child who won't get school lunch now that school is out, or a family who has to make choices between buying food, paying a mortgage, or getting medical care. Thankfully there are many ways we can work to eliminate hunger and malnutrition. I generally prefer sustainable solutions, but there's plenty of need for stop-gap measures too. There are incredibly easy, fast, and free ways to make sure someone eats tonight. Regular readers already know about click-to-donate sites and freerice.com. Now here's another way to make a free donation: www.YourFamilyTable.com.

"Country Crock is teaming up with 5-time Grammy Award-winning singer Amy Grant and America’s Second Harvest for the second year in a row, and invites people to share the little things they do to improve their family’s health. With each small change shared, Country Crock Omega Plus will donate a meal to a family in need through America’s Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network." So surf over to www.YourFamilyTable.com, and enter your story. Stick around to read others' stories. It's a great way to make a difference in someone's life. I'll share one of my small changes in a later post.

"It is easier to build strong children, than to repair broken men." - Frederick Douglass

Buy a painting.

I was listening to NPR and heard about two artists who have found an interesting way to make charitable donations. Justin Gignac and Christine Santora paint pictures of items representing donations they want to make. For example, they wanted to donate a cow through Heifer International so they painted a cow and sold it for the amount of the donation they then made.

Visit NeedsForSale.com, and scroll from left to right to view the paintings. 100% of the price is donated to charity, but since you get the painting you don't get the tax write-off. Check out their online gallery maybe you'll find something you like, for your wall or for our world.

"The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely the one who dropped it." - Lou Holtz

Let an ORCA eat your lunch.

I neglected to bring my lunch to work today so I went to the university dining hall to get some food. On the way in, I was greeted by a slideshow of a new machine the school has installed to reduce food waste. The ORCA is a biocomposting reactor that uses environmentally friendly microorganisms to transform food waste, paper and biodegradable plastic into water and carbon dioxide. In fact, the ORCA produces up to 10 times the amount of water it uses. Imagine what your institution could save in waste disposal costs!

If you are a decision maker at an institution that serves food, look into getting an ORCA or similar machine. You can visit Green Guard Associates to learn more about the ORCA.

The rest of us can do the following:

* Choose less packaging.
* Choose packaging and materials made from biodegradable plastics or paper.
* Try outdoor composting or indoor composting at your home.
* Encourage the higher-ups at your business, school, or other institution to consider getting a biocomposting reactor.

All of this is important because landfills contain more food and paper waste than diapers, styrofoam, and tires - combined. And even though food and paper are biodegradable, they need air and water to facilitate that process. The piles of compacted trash in landfills often don't degrade so they take up lots of space in the landfills. So find a way to compost your waste.

Thanks for the tip, Emory, and for lunch! Happy composting, everyone!

"An acre of performance is worth a whole world of promise." - William Dean Howells

Support pet rescue.

I've written before about the connections between abuse of animals and abuse of people. And just as there are organizations to support human survivors, pet rescue agencies exist to support non-human animal survivors. Enter Lisa Scarbrough of Costal Pet Rescue in Savannah, Georgia. Lisa kindly sent a blog post of hers entitled How YOU Can Change a Life in 10 Minutes or Less. Here are a few of my favorite ideas:

1. Pick up an extra bag of pet food or a toy when you do your monthly shopping for your own pets. (Copy paper, paper towels, cleaning supplies are also welcome.)

3. Send us a donation through PayPal (donations@coastalpetrescue.org). We know how to stretch our funds, and even $10 can help us buy food for a foster pet for a few weeks.

4. Purchase a gift card at WalMart, Pet Supermarket, or Pet Smart and drop it in the mail to us.

7. Use GoodSearch.com for all your search engine queries.

9. Cut out and mail us coupons for free or low-cost pet products (PO Box 30462, Savannah, GA 31410).

Check out Lisa's post for more ideas on how you can help animals rescued from dangerous situations. Want two of my ideas? Use these charitable search engines and click to donate sites. Of course you may want support a pet rescue agency in your area, but you can still stop by Lisa's site to say hi.

Enjoy! And thanks again, Lisa!

"Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." -Elie Wiesel, writer, Nobel laureate (b. 1928)

Prevent FOG clogs.

When I was growing up there was always a container of grease on the stove. Both my mother and grandmother saved grease and oil from cooking. My grandmother would sometimes reuse clean grease for cooking. She'd use our unedible grease to make lye soap. She used it for everything and gave it away to those of us who valued it. In fact, her last set of Christmas gifts to family and friends was gift wrapped homemade lye soap. How cool!

Nowadays, there's much less grease in my and my mother's homes - healthy eating and all. But every now and again, Kwadjo makes falafel or chicken livers and we have grease. We haven't had any new lye soap since that gift wrapped bunch over ten years ago, so what do we do with the grease? It's a problem for lots of us, particularly in restaurants. Fats, oils and greases (FOG) clogs drains and can cause sewage back-ups and flooding, costing money for repairs and damaging the environment. So here are some tips on how to prevent a FOG clog:

Do not

* Pour liquified fat, oil or grease down the drain. This causes to FOG clogs.
* Use hot water and soap to wash away the grease down the drain. It will harden and clog your pipes.

Instead,

--> Place cooled cooking oil, poultry and meat fats in sealed non-recyclable containers and discard with your regular garbage. FOG is food waste. Treat it as such.
--> Use paper towels to wipe residual grease or oil off of dishes, pots and pans before washing them. Discard the towels in the trash.

Bottom line - if you're not going to use your FOG waste for fuel (biodiesel or WVO) or for soap, put it in the trash not down the drain. Similar rules apply to motor oil except that it should be recycled. So now Kwadjo and I have container of grease under the sink. When it's full we'll trash it. Maybe one day, though, we'll make soap!

"Opinions are to the vast apparatus of social existence what oil is to machines: one does not go up to a turbine and pour machine oil over it; one applies a little to hidden spindles and joints that one has to know." - Walter Benjamin (1892–1940), German philosopher

Trade amongst yourselves.

I'm a big believer in barter and trade. It makes good use of good items, reduces waste, and allows you to save your cash for when you really need it. So in the spirit of clothes swap, I am pleased to present it's high-tech child-focused cousin, U and I Trade.

Visit UandITrade.com to trade new or gently used children's clothes, toys, and other items with families from all over the United States. It's a great way to recycle the items your child has outgrown and give those things a new life.

And check out So What Can I Do - News for the latest press release from U and I Trade. They are now collecting items for donation to the people affected by the California Wildfires. Great work! Happy trading!

"Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and organize." —Albert Gore, Jr.

Stop buying, stop drinking bottled water.

There is a growing movement against bottled water. All kinds of folks from newspaper columnists to religious groups to city governments are eschewing bottled water.

Here's why:
* 86% of plastic water bottles used in the United States become garbage or litter. That means less than 15% are recycled.
* Transporting heavy bottled water uses lots of oil for shipping. More oil is used to make the plastic for the bottles. That means more air and water pollution, and increased dependence on petroleum products.
* 40% of the bottled water is just over priced, high-falutin tap water. Read the label.

What a waste of money and resources! Not to mention the increased pollution. "So what can I do?"

* Stop using bottled water. Pick up a glass and turn on the tap. Ahh! Good water!
* Order "still water from the tap" at restaurants. Environmental stewardship is nothing to be ashamed of.
* Provide cold quenching tap water at your parties, events and home.
* Promote the passage of a bottle bill in your community. These provide an incentive to recycle and increase recycling rates.


Okay, okay. I know bottled water is convenient. So if you must carry around the plastic, do the following:

* Purchase a heavy duty plastic bottle that will last for years.
* Refill it so you can use it multiple times.
* Recycle it so someone else can use it multiple times.

We need not succumb to the advertising and marketing that would have us believe that there is no good alternative to bottled water. We know that tap water is the better choice for us and in the environment in which we live.

"The night whose sable breast relieves the stark,
White stars, is no less lovely being dark." — Countee Cullen (1903–1946)

Donate your jewelry.

I am prone to clutter. [ Admitting it is the first step in recovery. :) ] It can be so hard for me to part with many of the items I have but being able to recycle them certainly make me feel a lot better about getting rid of them. I've written about purchasing environmentally responsible jewelry, but it wasn't until a conversation with Nicole Lorimer that it occurred to me that I could donate jewelry too! Thanks Nicole! Check out GreenKarat.com to donate the jewelry you no longer wear.

Remember these steps to reduce the clutter in your home and the waste in our world:

* Reduce - Do you really need it?
* Reuse - Can you use it again before getting rid of it?
* Recycle - How can this be used differently or reprocessed for use again?
* Restore - How can I replace the resource I consumed?

The order matters. Have fun decluttering!

"Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win." — Jonathan Kozol

Collect and use grey water.

Georgia is in the midst of an historic drought and almost all outdoor water use has been banned. Given these restrictions, there is new interest in the collection and use of grey water. Grey (or gray) water is the wastewater resulting from washing dishes, doing laundry, bathing, and the like. Grey water comprises 50-80% of residential wastewater. So why let all that water go to waste? Here are a few ways to collect grey water:

* Shower with a bucket to collect grey water.
* Save the water used to boil vegetables, pasta, eggs and the like.
* Keep buckets in the kitchen and bathroom to collect water before it goes down the sink drain.
* Collect the dripping water from your air conditioning unit.
* Install collection equipment to harvest the water.

Clearly grey water is not for drinking (except for potlikker), but there many other great ways to use grey water:

* Water your grass and landscaping.
* Flush your toilet - you certainly don't need potable water for that!
* Hydrate your compost pile.
* Water your house plants.
* Treat your greywater and use it to nourish your garden

Clean potable water is a valuable resource. Use it wisely, whether or not there's a drought.

"The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed." - Steve Bantu Biko

Give soles for souls.

If you're like me, you have lots of shoes in your closet that you never wear. They're too good to trow away, but, for whatever reason, they never seem to make on your feet. Here's the perfect solution: Donate your new or gently worn shoes to Soles4Souls. This nonprofit organization collects shoes to send to people who need them all over the world. There are several ways you can donate:

* Donate your shoes. They should be new or gently worn so that other can use them. Send them the shoes you only wore once, the ones that are too tight, or too big.
* Buy shoes for donation. These are specifically designed to be very affordable (from $2 to $17 per pair).
* Donate time to assist in shoe drives, warehouse work, relief trips, and more.
* Donate money by check or credit card. Funds are used to support the work of Soles 4 Souls, and donations are tax-deductible.

Call Soles 4 Souls at 1 866 521-SHOE to get information on planning your organizations shoe drive. This is a great way for congregations, companies, schools and civic groups to work together. And if you have well worn athletic shoes you can no longer use, send them to Nike Reuse-a-Shoe.

"Shoes are made to walk in. I think they're really neat. Have you ever seen shoes of tin? They really hurt your feet!" - Karama Neal, age 7

Use enzymes.

A few months ago, I got fed up with the slow drain in our bathroom sink. We'd tried plunging and several brands of liquid drain cleaner. Each attempt would work for a while, but sooner, rather than later, the drain would be unbearably slow again. Then a home inspector recommended we try an enzyme drain cleaner. He drove a hybrid, just like us, and was happy to tell us that enzymes were better for the environment. What he didn't tell use is that enzyme drain cleaners even clean the drain better! After the recommended three daily treatments, our drain has been clear for months. I'm so pleased! Better for the environment and better performance. You can't ask for more. So if you are frustrated by slow or clogged drains, choose an enzyme drain cleaner.

"Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, but through being the right mate." - Barnett Brickner

Consider burial alternatives.

The cost of funerals is rapidly approaching $10,000, not as much as most weddings, but still pretty steep. The expense alone is enough reason to consider burial alternatives, but you may also be concerned for other reasons: land use, contamination of ground water by toxic embalming fluid, use of nonbiodegradable coffins and vaults, and the like. Thankfully there are many good alternatives for green burials that honor the deceased and comfort the bereaved. Here are a few of your choices:

* Natural burial "ensures the burial site remains as natural as possible in all respects.  Interment of the bodies is done in a bio-degradable casket, shroud, or a favorite blanket.   No embalming fluid, no concrete vaults." 

* Donation of the body for forensic research or medical training.

* Memorial reefs are an option for those who have been cremated. The cremains are used to create a "permanent living legacy that memorialize the passing of a loved one." Reefs are lowered into the sea to help restore the marine environment by creating artificial reefs and fish habitats.

* Cremation, a low-cost, widely-available alternative for those who are interested.

Many of us find it uncomfortable to think or talk about our own deaths, but having conversations about end-of-life care, organ donation, financial issues, and the like, can make things so much easier for your loved ones.

"One's death should mean something." - Edward Abbey

Furnish from the heart.

We've been doing a lot of cleaning up and discarding lately, and in the process have found numerous items that can be donated for reuse or recycled. We knew what to to with the old rechargable batteries, the clothes we no longer wear, the old cell phones, excess school supplies and some other stuff. But what about the furniture we no longer needed? It can be hard to find an agency that will accept and use good quality, used furniture. That's where NFBA comes in.

The National Furniture Bank Association "is a non-profit association representing almost 70 furniture banks across America. The mission of the NFBA is simple - increase the capacity of existing furniture banks, and open new ones." They list several reasons to donate furniture:

* It's a very worthy cause. We all want to ensure that no child in America has to sleep on the floor.

* Furniture banks make it easy for people to dispose of furniture they're planning to replace. It will go directly to a family in need of essential home furnishings.

* Lastly, it's good, green thinking. Furniture banks keep thousands of tons of items from going into incinerators or landfills every year.

And they make it easy. Just click to find the furniture bank nearest you. We used the Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta. They picked up our items and the donation is tax-deductible! You can't beat it.

So next time you need to dispose of furniture you're planning to replace, consider donating it to the furniture bank nearest you. You'll love providing "Furnishings from the Heart." (Thanks, Kwadjo!)

"The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." - Plato

Be an Energy Star.

In these days of high fuel costs, energy-related pollution, and development of 'alternative' energy sources, it can be confusing for the cost and environmentally minded consumer to make wise appliance, construction and home-improvement choices. That's where Energy Star comes in.

EnergyStar.gov is "a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy in 2005 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 23 million cars — all while saving $12 billion on their utility bills."

Check out these ways to save money, while reducing harm to the environment, in your home and business:

* "Products in more than 40 categories are eligible for the ENERGY STAR. They use less energy, save money, and help protect the environment."

* Remodeling suggestions will help you "reduce energy costs will make your home more comfortable and help protect the environment."

* Your new home can be Energy Star Qualified, making your home more comfortable, and helping to protect the environment.

* Business improvement strategies may help you lower costs and distinguish your organization.

EnergyStar.gov also has educational information, advice on the use of tax credits, lists of and tips for selecting service providers, and much more. It makes it that much easier to be an Energy Star.

"Energy...
Sometimes I think I'm runnin' out of energy
Seems like we use an awful lot for
Heatin' and lightin' and drivin'
Readin' and writin' and jivin'
Energy ... You'd think we'd be savin' it up." - George R. Newall (Schoolhouse Rock)

Design a better world.

Ever thought about how to design earthquake resistant schools? What about tsunami resistant homes? Inexpensive, but functional refugee housing? These and other design and architecture challenges are being met everyday by the folks at Architecture for Humanity. If you are an architecture or design student or professional, or if you just like good design, take note:

Architecture for Humanity is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 1999 to promote architectural and design solutions to global, social and humanitarian crises. Through competitions, workshops, educational forums, partnerships with aid organizations and other activities, Architecture for Humanity creates opportunities for architects and designers from around the world to help communities in need. We believe that where resources and expertise are scarce, innovative, sustainable and collaborative design can make a difference.

If this sounds like the kind of work you like to support, check out these ways to get involved:

* Volunteer with AFH by spreading the word, fundraising, advocating and more.

* Donate either financially or in kind to support the work of AFH. They're non-profit so your gift will be tax-deductible.

* Learn more about humanitarian design and architecture. They even list socially responsible design education programs around the country.

* Buy cool stuff, and support AFH in the process.

Architecture for Humanity promotes "architectural responses to humanitarian crises". Their motto is "Design Like You Give a Damn". Sounds good to me!

"The best politics is right action." -Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948)