shiny shiny brass door handle *Updated*

I'm  working on my brass door handle the past 2 days. Started off with the remaining bottle of Brasso that we had from eons ago. Not good at all. It didn't do a wonderful job of removing the gunk, practically fumigated me and my daughter and my husband was horrified when I tried to wash my brasso tainted hands in the sink. *guilt*

Hmm, I remembered that vinegar did the job with hubbie's belt.

So I went online, did a little research and voila. Try vinegar and

 salt.

Lots of elbow grease there, but it seems to be working. Very slowly though. They did mention, to go gently but come back again regularly. So, that's what I'll do. Here's a photo of it after brasso. I'll put up an updated photo after a few more sessions of vinegar and salt.

8/7/09: Not so shiny. Brass around key insert turning flaky green. The rest of the handle's gone all tarnished again. *sad* 

Product Review: Bio-Home Dishwash Liquid

Product Name: Bio-Home Dishwash Liquid (500 ml)
Manufacturer: Lam Soon Edible Oils Sdn Bhd
Price: RM6.49 from Cold Storage, RM5.50 from Isetan Supermarket
Rating: 4 ½ stars out of 5

(By Guest Contributor Ee Lynn)

To me, looking for the biodegradable, eco-friendly dishwashing liquid that is ‘just right’ is an endeavour highly similar to Goldilocks’ attempt to find the right bed and porridge and what-have-you. ‘Good Maid Bio’ is supposed to be 100% plant based, but I am not convinced, on account of its surprisingly low cost, its strong cloying fragrance and its garish neon colours. Fruit and veggie waste enzyme is too watery and too stinky for me, and I am not persuaded by the science, or lack thereof, of homemade enzymes. Ecover and Ivory are both too watery and too expensive, and I refuse to pay RM12.99 or thereabouts to have a bottle of runny soapy water flown to me from halfway across the planet just so my kitchen runoffs do not kill toads and little fishes.

Imagine my surprise and delight then, when I discovered a locally manufactured brand of eco-friendly dishwashing liquid that is affordable, easy to use, and of just the right consistency. Resembling a bottle of handwash, each 500 ml bottle of Bio-Home Dishwash Liquid comes with a handy pump dispenser, thus eliminating the need to tip the bottle over each time you need a squirt of washing-up liquid.

I immediately liked the fact that it is produced locally, thus cutting down on the fuel miles each bottle had to travel. I also like its packaging, which makes it easy to use and which incidentally reduces wastage, because you are less likely to pour too much out when using a pump dispenser. I like the fact that it is free of dyes, because dyes are wasteful and have no real purpose except to make a product look appealing. I simply love its lemongrass and green tea scent, which is a welcome change from the conventional lemon-lime scent used in washing-up liquids. I like the fact that it is concentrated enough, so I am not just paying for a bottle of water with a dash of soap in it (I have been using my first bottle for over a month now, and despite the fact that I am a cleaning freak, I have not even used a quarter of a bottle).

But does it work? The label says that the product is Biodegradable, Eco-Friendly, Easy Rinse and uses Natural Ingredients. Apparently it is also made entirely of plant-based biodegradable surfactants, and carries the Singapore Green Label. The label further proclaims that it does not contain any phosphates, SLS (Sodium Laureth Sulphanate), synthetic dyes, caustic agents or animal-based ingredients, which is good enough for most of us.

Fortunately, this handy little bottle of washing-up liquid really does live up to its promise, in my book. I poured some of the leftover liquid (after washing up with it) on my Epipremnum pinnatum to see if they would survive. The plants thrived. I left a dab on my wrist to see if it would affect my already sensitive skin. It didn’t. I felt nothing and forgot all about it. I cleaned the sink with a little of the liquid and rinsed everything off using only one mug of water, so it really is easy-rinse. I used it for more than just doing the dishes with, to see if it would hold up against scrutiny, and it did. I rubbed some, full-strength, on a coffee stain and a grease stain on my t-shirts to see if it could clean and degrease effectively. It did. I added some to my biodegradable soap powder to clean the bathroom with, and everything came out spotless and smelling faintly of lemongrass. I diluted a squirt of it in a bottle of water and used it for general cleaning, and it managed to pick up dirt and remove spots and stains without leaving a soapy residue. I collected some of the soapy water in a basin while doing the washing-up and soaked some empty glass coffee jars in it to remove the labels and coffee residue. The labels and residue came off easily with a little scrubbing the next day (note that I wasn’t using Bio-Home full strength, but as leftover from washing up). I squirted a little of the dishwashing liquid on the washcloths and scrubbed the cloths hard to clean, degrease and deodorise them, and it worked a treat, too.

If I have any complaints about the Bio-Home Dishwash Liquid at all, it is that 500 ml doesn’t go very far and the manufacturer should produce larger bottles to refill the original one with, to cut down on packaging and waste. It would also help if the manufacturer were to include a full list of ingredients on the label or at least the website, to allow consumers to make an informed choice in order that we do not fall victims to greenwashing.

All things considered, I would rate the Bio-Home Dishwashing Liquid 4 ½ stars out of 5.

Extremism on refusing plastic bag...

Today I did something which I am ashamed of. I want to blame it on my illness at the moment. But really, I can't. I was rude.

At the check out today buying a tong for my increasing number of compost tongs, I asked the check out guy 'no need for plastic please'. He nodded. Then he reached over and grabbed a smallish plastic bag, and wanted to cello tape it on the tong! I was 'no no no, I don't want plastic bag'. He gave me a slightly condescending look and said, 'for security'. I said no, and he again insisted. That's when I blew, I raised my voice (slightly but loud enough) and told him, 'look, no. do you realize the rest of the world is trying to REDUCE plastic usage? and you're giving me a plastic bag not even for proper usage but just on top of my bin just 'for security? NO! just stick on the receipt on top if you have to!'

All this was said in a huff.

I think Hubbie was uncomfortable with this. I asked him later what he thought and confirming that it wasn't quite what I said but how I said it, I realized, it's not fair to the guy.

I went back and apologised. Bruised my ego a little. It shouldn't. Because I could've been more polite. But I'm sure I bruised his ego earlier. I just hope that by apologising, his is slightly restored.

Angled or smooth loofah...

Just googled and found that angled or gourd gourd can work as loofah. Wait, they ARE loofahs... And here I am cracking my head trying to figure out where this exotic gourd's from. And I see it each time I go shopping. Me going to market. Wish me luck! Any other suggestions?

Now to figure out how to plant in my extremely narrow balcony...

Loofah anyone?!

I'm running out of loofahs for my cleaning.

Appeal: Does anyone know where I can buy loofahs affordably within PJ/Ampang area? I bought my last batch when I went for work in Kuching years ago for RM1.50 per piece. But now running out! Argh!

Better yet, does anyone PLANT loofah plants? Me want seedling! Can buy ar?

I love my loofahs as a replacement for all my sponges. For bath and household cleaning! And they disintegrate over time to nothing. Biodegradability right before your very eyes. So much better than sponges.

Carbon Calculator Review: GreenAsia

www.thegreenasiagroup.com

Whoo, that took me a long time. Not to do the calculation, but since the last review. But here it is. :)

My carbon footprint: 6.72 tCO2 per year.

Pros:

1) Slightly more adjusted in the Asian context. It is afterall 'GreenASIA'. And the drop down includes Malaysia. Which is nice to know that we exist :)

2) The drop down menus are straight forward. Easy to understand.

3) Energy choices have got different measurements. Which makes it easier to input since not all of us use kWh or kgs or liters etc.

4) It immediately shows the calculations upon your entry. So you can tell how much your carbon input is based on what you just entered.

5) You can input up to three vehicles. And the drop down's very easy, no need to look for your car type in a long list. They've got a range of type of vehicle and engine sizes (e.g. motorcycle, small petrol car (<1.4>

6) Includes waste as a separate input

7) You can immediately purchase carbon offsets from them upon completion of calculation. One choice of where the funds goes to is a Malaysian paper recycling facility which uses natural gas as opposed to oil fired boilers or electricity from the national grid.

Cons:

1) Would prefer if a little elaboration or those question mark thingies to give examples of what sort of energy applies to which domestic use. For blur people like myself, I use gas tank for cooking. Is that natural gas? Or is that LPG? It would be good to have a little assistance there.

2) Public transportation's distance calculation's a little iffy. I wish they would have distances calculator for us. So, we waste less time googling how far our travelled distances are. Can estimatelah... but still... haiya...

3) No mention of other lifestyle habits that may contribute to carbon - e.g. choice of food, shopping habits, etc.

4) No benchmark to compare.

Upmarket shopping...

Just something I noticed.

We went to KLCC today. With all the talk about reusing bags etc within the so called slightly more 'informed' society, all I saw today were bags and bags of Vincci, Isetan, G2000, and whatever you find there. I didn't actually notice many if ANYONE carrying their own reusable bag that seems remotely likely holding new shopping. I saw tons and tons of plastic and 'paper' bags.

Seems to me either, they are NOT buying anything (which is good), or they had loads of bags with names on them. Which is likely the latter since most WERE carrying store bags. So if go upmarket places must have fancy named bags is it?

Car that runs on AIR? *drool*

*drool drool drool*....

There's a new car on earth, and it runs on air. How great is that?! It does however require electricity to compress the air at the moment. Given a choice, it's still the better option compared to fossil fuel (not taking into account walking, cycling and efficient public transportation). And the coolest (pun definitely intended) thing? Air conditioning is actually a side effect! Perfect for the sweaty tropical! 

Can you imagine the SAVINGS THE GOVT WILL GET from everyone switching their cars to this in FUEL SUBSIDY REDUCTIONS?!?! Time to take it on oh Govt.... Oh but of course the savings will be channeled to the people in terms of car and compressor prices, yes? What better way to reduce our national Carbon Emission Level, traffic accidents, parking space, etc etc? 

Here's the article I plucked from the Guardian, UK, published 14 May 2009.

How would you react to someone who tried to sell you a car that runs on fresh air? Perhaps you would think he was peddling a potentially planet-saving technology. More likely you would dismiss him as a conman or a fantasist. Yet that is precisely the pitch being made by French auto engineer Guy Negre, a good-humoured man in his mid-60s who claims to have developed a car powered by compressed air: one that produces a fraction of the carbon emissions of a standard engine, reaches speeds of 30mph-plus, that can travel 65 miles on a one-minute recharge and, best of all, costs from just over £3,000.

Negre is quick to point out the drawbacks of existing eco-car technology. "Hybrids are only marginally less polluting than the most efficient combustion engines," he says. "Hydrogen power is expensive and impractical. Fuel cells are expensive and unproven and electric cars are reliant on expensive, unreliable battery technology."

Given the number of false green-auto dawns, you might wonder why air-powered cars should be any different. While Negre's air cars have similar carbon emissions to electric cars (it all depends how the electricity to power the pumps that fill their air tanks is generated), he argues that air-power is a superior technology. "Compared to electric cars, air-powered cars cost a fraction of the price to buy, they don't need expensive batteries to be replaced every five years or so and crucially they take only a fraction of the time to recharge."

Negre previously designed racing engines for Renault and has devoted the last 13 years to developing compressed air technology at his factory in Carros, outside Nice, in southern France. He believes air power has a real chance of putting a rocket up the $2tn-a-year global auto industry, radically improving the quality of urban life and making a serious dent in global carbon emissions in the process.

I confess I was so sceptical that I reserved judgment until I had driven one of his cars. On the day I visited the factory, most of the cars were at Schipol airport in Amsterdam, where from next month they are being trialled as replacements for the huge fleet of electric service vehicles operated by Air France KLM. So the version I drove was an early prototype, a three-wheeler with no bodywork, steered by a joystick.

OK, it didn't deliver the smoothly upholstered power so beloved by conventional car enthusiasts. And it possessed all the glamour of a souped-up lawnmower. But it worked, easily reaching speeds above 25mph in the limited space of the factory car park, which doubles as a test track.

In full-scale production, air-powered vehicles will range from three-wheeled buggies to a four-wheeled, five-door family saloon. Although the number of models on offer now is limited for cost reasons, they could eventually include vans, buses, taxis and boats.

The cars are made of fibreglass, which is lighter and 10 times stronger than steel, claims Negre. The compressed air is stored at high pressure in shatter-proof thermoplastic tanks surrounded by a carbon-fibre shell. (The same tanks used to contain the fuel in gas-powered buses.) The air is released through pistons in the engine, which drive the wheels. Unlike conventional internal combustion engines, air-powered engines run very cold and thick ice quickly forms on the engine. This means that the only feature that comes for free in the air car will be air-conditioning.

Each car has an onboard pump that can refill the tank overnight. But Negre has also developed a high-pressure air pump - imagine a heavy-duty version of the tyre pumps found on a garage forecourt - that can fill the tanks in less than a minute. These could be powered by clean electricity - hydro, wind or solar - making the air car completely pollution-free. Even if carbon-generated electricity is used, CO2 emissions are still only 10% of a petrol engine's, claims Negre.

That's great for urban driving where journeys are typically a few miles. For longer journeys there's a hybrid, battery-assisted version, which Negre claims can reach 100mph and travel 900 miles on one gallon of petrol.

Clearly the idea is being taken seriously by KLM. Independent energyexperts are also cautiously optimistic. "I've looked at this technology and it can work," says Ulf Bossel, a sustainable energy consultant and organiser of the European Fuel Cell Forum. "It looks good over 50km or so. I see no reason why this shouldn't be a successful form of urban transport in the near future."

But perhaps the most credible endorsement of air power comes from a £30m deal the makers recently signed with Indian car giant Tata to license the technology in Asia for use in the ultra-cheap Nano. Negre has also signed deals to manufacture the car in the US, Latin America, and several European countries, but none as yet in the UK. However, he says he is close to sealing an agreement that could see air cars on sale in the UK within three years. But if cars running on fresh air fulfil their promise, why stop there? With just a few alterations, Negre claims a hybrid version of his new engine could even be used to power aircraft.

Seafood anyone?

I just got this from a friend. I look forward to watching it. But it has been something that I've realized for sometime now. My seafood consumption has been relatively low for some time now. But I'm a real sucker for my ikan bilis.

Wonder when it'll come to Malaysia? The movie I mean.... I can't seem to download it on my blogger yet. So, you'll just need to use the link for now. End of the Line

Old cotton nappies... what to do?

Now that my little girl's potty trained, and no one seems to want her old nappies yet, and starring at them everyday from my bed everyday's not helping, I am wondering, what to do with them ar?

I had some ideas... 

1) Donate them to some poorer families? Not sure they will appreciate it... If anyone knows anyone who might appreciate them, please let me know!

2) Make napkins?

3) Make little bags that I can use while shopping (for smaller items like chillies, etc) - the napkins are CLEAN. That's what detergents and washing machines are for. 

More ideas anyone?

A colony of fruit flies and lots of headache...

No, the headache's not from the fruit flies. I've been very ill since last Tuesday. And so was my daughter. So please do forgive me for not updating my blog. I'll keep it coming when I get better. Oh one more thing, Covert Operations `78 (Ee Lynn) is a dear friend of mine also from MNS. She's an equally if not more amazing greenie. She's very kindly offered to contribute to my blog. I'm so pleased. And if anyone would like to contribute too about how it's like being green here, please do. :)

Well, I noticed the most that came out of not stirring it for 2-3 days (my compost) was that I bred a large colony of fruit flies. Not sure if that's a good thing or bad. But so far, I don't see anything particularly bad. Good thing I don't have a rabbit anymore though. Coz I did read that fruit flies can cause plenty of harm to rabbits. 

The new batch of compost seems to be holding up well. No flies, fairly dry. Nice. :) Not smelly either. That or my nose is just plainly blocked.

Larvae in my compost.. .ewww

I've been busy the past 3 days. So I have not stirred my compost. And I noticed today that it was beginning to smell. Despite the cover, and baking soda. 

Pushed myself and found a few minutes, and yuck, there were these cream colored larvae crawling all over inside. Fruit flies I think... Stirred it. See how it goes tomorrow if I can find time.