Author: Marianne Saylor

Environmental News

Lansdowne Environmental News – July 10, 2012

Tomorrow, Wednesday, July 11th is Yard Waste pick-up
Place yard debris directly in trash cans or large brown paper yard waste bags sold at hardware and grocery stores

  • Branches and sticks must be no more than four feet long and should be bundled together and tied with string
  • No plastic bags, please
  • No dirt or stones
Movie Night in the Park: Ghostbusters – Friday, July 13
The Lansdowne Parks and Recreation Department presents a free showing of the 1984 movie Ghostbusters (Rated PG) in Hoffman Park at 8:30 pm on Friday, July 13. Come early to picnic in the park!
Cold-water laundry saves energy and cash
Did you know that according to most estimates, heating laundry water accounts for about 80 to 85 percent of the energy consumed by a typical batch of laundry?  The Alliance to Save Energy (ASE), a national nonprofit that works to promote energy efficiency, estimates that if everyone in the United States switched to cold-water washing, the energy saved would be equivalent to the energy produced at the Hoover Dam — a suitably watery comparison — for four years. Or, if you choose, it could power the streetlights of New York City for 71 years.

Those mega-numbers are fun, but what about your household?

ASE says a typical home, which supposedly does 400 loads of wash a year, could save enough energy to watch TV for 1,363 hours, power a refrigerator for four months, or charge an iphone 30,861 times.

The money savings, ASE says, could amount to $63 a year.

Here are some tips for washing in cold water:

Use liquid detergents; generally, powders don’t dissolve as well in cold water.

If you’re using a regular detergent and aren’t satisfied with the cleanliness, switch to one specifically for cold water.

Mix the detergent with warm water before adding it to the washer to help with dispersal.

Pretreat stains. For more efficient laundering overall:

Wash only full loads of clothing.

If you must wash in warm or hot, rinse in cold.

Hang clothes to dry. If you’re allergic to pollen, hang them inside.

If you do use the dryer, clean the lint filter to aid the air flow. Also, separate lightweight items from heavier ones because lightweight ones take less time to dry.

Environmental News

Lansdowne Environmental News – May 15, 2012

Tomorrow is Yard Waste Collection – Wednesday May 16th
Art Space Lansdowne
Have you had it with out-of-control gas and electric bills? Perhaps you’re already trying to be environmentally responsible with your energy usage in an effort to cut costs, but aren’t satisfied with the results. Well there’s more that you can do than just switch your regular lightbulbs to CFLs. Join energy expert Harold Finigan in this series of workshops that will open your eyes to many new and nontraditional energy savings solutions.
As a Staff Assistant to Congressman Robert W. Edgar, Harold came to realize the global consequences of an energy intensive society’s dependence on imported fuels during the 1979 oil crisis. In the ensuing three decades, Harold’s passionate interest in buildings, education, energy and public policy has led him to give more than 200 workshops on energy, conservation, and global climate change. He has also taught on the subject at the Wharton Business School & Drexel University, and developed a low-cost solar thermal heater which can offset primary heating loads.
Art Space Lansdowne is very excited to present three workshops from Harold that will all make a difference in your energy consumption and costs. Don’t miss these thought-provoking, eye-opening sessions with a renowned energy expert.
Build it Solar: Learn how you can incorporate solar heating into your home to generate FREE heat – with zero carbon emissions. Registration fee includes a 200-page book on solar energy.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
$50
Save Energy, Save Money: Master the basics of home energy efficiency! This interactive, easy-to-follow program explains how to reduce energy consumption, shrink the size of your carbon footprint and improve home comfort.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
$35
Deep Energy Retrofits: Save up to 75 percent on your energy consumption and costs in this in-depth workshop. Learn some innovative and impactful ways to cut your energy usage.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
$35
Environmental News

Lansdowne Environmental News – April 18, 2012

Yard Waste Collection

The next Borough Yard Waste Collection (in paper bags, trash cans or bundled) will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, April 18th.  The next collection will be May 2nd.

Free Compost

The Borough has obtained compost from the County made from recylced leaves and christmas trees.  According to the County, the compost looks good this year!  The compost will be available, free of charge on a first come, first served basis beginning on Thursday, April 19th.  The compost will be located in the parking area of Hoffman Park.

Keep Lansdowne Beautiful Day

Please join us in cleaning up Lansdowne this Saturday, April 21st at Borough green or Interboro Park from 9:30-12:00pm. All supplies will be provided.

Winter Farmers’ Market

The final farmer’s market of the winter season will be held on Saturday, April 21st from 9:00-11:00 am.

Arbor Day

Come and celebrate Arbor Day at Sycamore Park on April 27th at 7:00pm.