Keeping Home in the City

Striving to keep a sustainable, healthy and resourceful home in NYC.

Sewing, Gardening, Cooking, Cleaning & Crafting

I’m a New Yorker. I love being out in the city, immersed in the hustle and bustle of daily life. But I long to retreat to a well kept, peaceful, and comfortable home.

This is how I keep my one bedroom home in NYC.

Unplug

Photo credit: Deviant Art

The culprit: Phantom Power.  The power/energy/money that appliances drain when they are plugged in, but unused.  So why not unplug? 

You may not be able to unplug everything, but try some of the appliances on this list from Daily Finance:

  • Desktop computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Televisions
  • DVD players and VCRs
  • Modems
  • Cable TV boxes
  • Cordless phones
  • Stereos and radios
  • Coffeemakers
  • Lamps
  • Toasters
  • iPods and electronic gadgets sapping energy from a plug-in transformer

You’ll save money… and the earth!

Bike to Work Day: May 17th

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Bike to Work Day, the national holiday celebrating your two-wheeled commute, is this week.  I love biking to work, though I usually walk, biking cuts my commute in half. 

I’ve made the pledge to join Bike to Work Day… I only wish one of these fuel stations was on my way to work!

Local Roots CSA

We’ve joined our summer CSA.  Local Roots NYC.  Looking forward to a weekly half share pick up at 61 Local.

Conserve Water

Consider a few ways that you can conserve water:

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Photo Credit: Gomestic.com

  • Turn the faucet off while cleaning dishes
  • Turn the faucet off while brushing teeth
  • Turn the shower water off while sudsing up
  • Take a shorter shower
  • When running a bath, plug the tub before turning the water on; adjust the temperature as it fills.
  • Wash only full loads of laundry (and if you have a dishwasher, only full loads of dishes)
  • Sweep sidewalks and steps (or patios) instead of hosing them. (If you have a hose or any of those areas to clean up)
  • Wash fruits and veggies in a bowl of water, rather than running tap water
  • Collect and reuse water from washing fruits and veggies to water plants
  • Use one glass for drinking water each day, or a refillable water bottle
  • Don’t use running water to defrost food; defrost in the refridgerator
  • Re-use the water from steaming or blanching veggies as a starter for a vegetable broth or soup.

Use Less Plastic

MicroEmpowering posted from askthegreenfairy 9 easy ways to use less plastic.

Tip 10: Buy in bulk so you use less packaging.

What Can You Recycle?

As of April 2013 there are new plastics to recycle. No more deliberating on what can and can’t be recycled, all hard plastics are worthy.  Read about it here.

What can you recycle in NYC?  Not everything you might hope.  It’s confusing to remember what can, and can’t, be recycled… and not everything with the recycling symbol is eligible, so here’s a little review:

PAPER & CARDBOARD

  • newspapers, magazines, catalogs
  • white and colored paper (lined, copier, computer, staples OK)
  • mail and envelopes (any color, window envelopes OK)
  • paper bags
  • wrapping paper
  • soft-cover books, telephone books (paperbacks, comics, etc.; no spiral bindings)
  • cardboard egg cartons and trays
  • smooth cardboard (food and shoes boxes, tubes, file folders, cardboard from product green recycling bin with decal and clear bag packaging)
  • corrugated cardboard boxes (flattened and tied)

Don’t include the following with your paper recycling:

  • hardcover books
  • napkins, paper towels, or tissues
  • soiled paper cups or plates
  • paper soiled with food or liquid
  • paper with a lot of tape and glue
  • plastic- or wax-coated paper (candy wrappers, take-out containers, etc.)
  • photographic paper


BEVERAGE CARTONS, BOTTLES, CANS, METAL & FOIL

  • milk cartons & juice boxes (or any such cartons and aseptic packaging for drinks: ice tea, soy milk, soup, etc.)
  • plastic bottles & jugs only
  • glass bottles & jars only
  • metal cans (soup, pet food, empty aerosol cans, dried-out paint cans, etc.)
  • aluminum foil wrap & trays
  • household metal (wire hangers, pots, tools, curtain rods, small appliances that are mostly metal, etc.)

Don’t include the following with your bottle and can recycling:

  • trash canplastic items other than plastic bottles & jugs (such as deli and yogurt containers; plastic toys, cups, wrap, etc.)
  • any glass items other than glass bottles & jars (mirrors, lightbulbs, ceramics, glassware, etc.)
  • Styrofoam (cups, egg cartons, trays, etc.)
  • batteries
  • plastic bags

I like using this flyer for review:

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Find more info at NYC Waste Less.

Don’t forget to compost your food scraps!

Winter Compost Warrior

Photo Credit: GrowNYC

I’m a Winter Compost Warrior!…  a incentive program initiated by GrowNYC, each week when I drop off compost at the Greenmarket, I sign in to mark my attendance.  Though I’ll compost anyway, a competition is always fun, and there’s a compost-related prize for those who drop off for 10 tens (in the next 11 weeks)!

Since the pilot program launched in March 2011, one million pounds of food scraps have been dropped off at Greenmarket’s collection sites.  City officials, community partners, and compost enthusiasts gathered at my neighborhood market to celebration one million pounds!

This year, I will..

…Stay in touch.  According to the resolution generator at moninaavelarde.com.

What will you do?

Preparing for Christmas

I’ve been counting down the days until the 23rd (when my family arrives!) - though now it’s just three days away!

We have our first Christmas tree, and can’t wait to celebrate Christmas in Brooklyn!

Battersby

We recently partook in the tasting menu at Battersby (after making our reservation a month out).  Check out our view from the Chef’s table.  Our five course meal included:

Amuse-bouche

  • parsnip apple soup
  • crostini with chicken liver and a sliver of mushroom
  • rosemary flatbread with sea salt with housemade ricotta

First

  • crisp kale salad, with kohlrabi, brussels sprouts, peanuts, fish sauce dressing

Second

  • roasted beets with candied pecans and ancho chili

Third

  • merguez sausage with chickpeas

Fourth

  • short rib pastrami with brasied cabbage and fingerling potatoes

Dessert Amuse-bouche

  • lemon zested panna cotta

Fifth

  • amaretto soaked olive oil cake with candied kumquat

Check out this fun video from the NYTimes.