21 ways to use coffee grounds.
IUF is collecting coffee ground in the upstairs kitchen and want YOU to make use of them either for composting or any of these other ways:
1. Soften and add shine to hair. When washing your hair, rub coffee grounds through wet hair and rinse. For brown hair, coffee grounds add highlights.
2. Use coffee grounds as an exfoliant for skin. Pat on skin, massage over skin, rinse.
3. Add coffee grounds to your skin mask beauty routine.
4. Make homemade tattoos (temporary) with henna and coffee grounds.
5. Fertilize plants. Old coffee grounds are nutrient-rich for plants that thrive in an acidic soil.
6. Add used coffee grounds to the pots of indoor plants.
7. Work used coffee grounds into your garden soil before seed planting. After your plants start to emerge, work in coffee grounds near the plants. Used coffee grounds are said to repel snails and slugs as well as adding nutrients to the soil.
8. Increase your carrot and radish harvest by mixing seeds with dry coffee grounds before planting the seeds.
9. Use coffee grounds to repel ants.
10. Keep cats from using your garden as a kitty box by spreading used coffee grounds and orange peels throughout flower beds.
11. Deodorize a freezer. Place a bowl with used coffee grounds in the freezer to remove unwanted odors. Add a few drops of vanilla to coffee grounds.
12. Rub coffee grounds on hands to get rid of smells from chopping or cutting up pungent foods.
13. Make a used coffee grounds sachet. Fill old nylons or cheescloth with dry used coffee grounds. Hang in closets to absorb odors.
14. When you need an abrasive cleaner, coffee grounds can be used. Be careful of any surfaces that might stain.
15. Remove furniture scratches with wet coffee grounds.
16. Got a fireplace? Sprinkle wet coffee grounds over the ashes to keep from becoming engulfed in the plume of dust ashes create when you need to remove them.
17. Dye fabric, paper or Easter eggs. Simply add used coffee grounds to warm water and let sit a bit to create a dye.
18. After you give your dog a bath, rub coffee grounds through the coat of your pet. Coffee grounds are said to repel fleas.
19. Keep bait worms alive by mixing coffee grounds into the soil before you add worms.
20. Grow mushrooms on old coffee grounds.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/cooking-basics/vegetables-fruits-cheese/Leaves-of-Green.htm?WT.dcsvid=MjA5NjUyMjg5MAS2&WT.mc_id=Newsletter_BettyCrocker_04_22_2009
This is a great guide about the different lettuces, the first veggie available in the spring, and how to use them.

You’ll need:
1 worm bin—Must be opaque because the worms don’t like the light. Drill holes for the worms to breathe, but make sure they’re small enough so that they don’t escape!
Shredded newspaper—Fill your bin about 3/4 of the way full.
Water—Pour over the newspaper and then test to make sure it’s “spongy” sounding (about 2-3 cups). Be careful not to add too much water!
Soil—Sprinkle just enough soil over the top of the newspaper to introduce all of the good stuff soil offers to your worm farm (about 1 cup).
Red wigglers—Add about a lb. of worms to your bin. (You can order them from wormwoman.com.)
Food scraps—Your worms love all vegetable, bread, and cereal leftovers. They also love coffee grounds and egg shells! Do not feed them meat, bones, oils and fats, citrus, hot peppers, and the like!
Questions? Consult Amy Stewart’s one-page handout at: amystewart.com/images/worm-composting.pdf

Email IUF Green Team for the complete instructions!

If you are looking for a safe, responsible method of disposing of your electronics (computers, cell phones, etc.), an upcoming event hosted by IU Bloomington and IUPUI may meet your needs. Electronic Waste Collection Days, a free electronic waste recycling drive, will be held April 30 through May 2 in both Bloomington and Indianapolis. Don’t miss this chance to freely and responsibly unload your worn out electronics.
http://indiana.poweron.com/

http://indiana.poweron.com/

https://www.indiana.edu/~sustain/ewaste_collection.htm

http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/9983.html

Biobags Facts:

·         By using Biobags, you are helping reduce the usage of new and recycled plyethylen-based plastic.  BioBags are great for the collection of food waste and other biodegradable materials for composting. 

·         BioBags are made from the biodegradable and compostable material, Mater-Bi.  They are GMO free, certified for use in organic agriculture and CEN certified for restricted use of metals in our vegetable-based inks and dyes.  BioBags meet the ASTM D6400 requirements, which is the gold standard for compostable plastic.

·         BioBags are shelf stable, just like paper towels, yet biodegradable quickly when exposed to nature’s elements and micro-organisms, leaving no harmful residue behind. 

Together we can change the world without changing the earth. J

THE TEN SECOND PLASTIC BAG LESSON:

Regular polyethylene-based plastic bags can take over 100 years to biodegrade and are not compostable.  Less than 2% of all plastic bags ever get recycled.  Plastic bags litter our streets, backwoods and waterways.  Studies indicate that 100,000 marine animals and 2 million birds die every year from ingesting or being caught up in plastic debris. 

Some manufacturers are blending additives to polyethylene to produce “degradable” bags.  Unfortunately, this process fragments the bags into pieces of plastic debris that do not meet the ASTM D6400 standard for biodegradable and compostable plastic.

BioBag products are based on starch, vegetable oil and other renewable resources.  No polyethylene is used in the production process.  We are fully certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute (make hyperlink to: http://www.bpiworld.org) to be 100% compostable.  Please be sure the biodegradable products you buy are properly certified

www.Drugstore.com has an entire page of green products!  http://www.drugstore.com/templates/browse/default.asp?catid=47206&trx=GFI-0-ROTABS&trxp1=47206&trxp4=60

Link to drugstore.com’s list of biobag products available: http://www.drugstore.com/search/search_results.asp?N=0&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchallpartial&Ntk=All&srchtree=1&Ntt=biobag

Here are the terms of the contest: 

·         This contest will last for two months, from January 20th through March 20^th. 

·         The aim of the contest is to get people to use non-disposable bags, or to reuse bags, when they carry things to and from work or when they purchase things outside of work, etc. 

·         To qualify for the final drawing, you must have used a non-disposable bag or reused a bag at least twice every week. 

·         The tracking sheet for the two months is attached. 

·         The prize for the drawing at the end of the contest is a basket of neat stuff J

FREE In-Home Energy Audit by Duke Energy

How do I qualify?

You qualify for a free Home Energy House Call if you:

·         Are a Duke Energy customer

·         Own your single-family home and have lived there for at least four months

·         Have an electric water heater and/or electric heat

How it Works

During your in-home analysis, the energy specialist will:

·         Analyze your total home energy usage

·         Check your home for air leaks

·         Examine your insulation levels

·         Review your appliances and heating/cooling system

From the information collected, a custom-tailored report detailing steps to increase efficiency and reduce your energy bill is prepared and mailed to you within 10 days.

As part of our commitment to saving you money on your energy bill, we will also provide you with a free Energy Efficiency Starter Kit (list of all items included on Green Team website examples include water saver shower head, pivoting kitchen sink water saver faucet, 2 light bulbs and MORE). The energy specialist can install the items at the time of your Home Energy House Call, so you can begin saving your energy dollars right away.

Wrap-up:

*Call 877-388-7676 to request your appointment today (or visit the following link to electronically submit your request: http://www.duke-energy.com/indiana/savings/home-energy-house-call.asp).

*Saturday and week night appointments are available

*Takes about an hour and saves the environment and money!