Two tips from our FCC colleagues:

1. EWEB has lot of energy rebates available on their website for Eugene-based customers. 

https://www.eweb.org/residential-customers/rebates-loans-and-conservation

Here is one tip from the EWEB site:

Use shades and blinds to help heat and cool the house. On warm, sunny days, open the blinds or curtains of south-facing windows, allowing the sun to warm the room. In areas where your home doesn’t get much sun, keep your curtains and blinds closed to trap in the heat.

2. “Laundry detergent strips work great (including in cold water), leave no plastic jug to try to recycle, and take minimal storage space. I fold them where you find a perforation and just use that half for a regular load. For a huge or very dirty load maybe you’d want a whole one. I have been using them exclusively for a couple of years. A package lasts me a long time.

I have seen a few brands in local stores—although you have to look pretty hard to find them—but much more choice and better prices are to be found on line. Retailers should wise up. A lot of these products would not take much shelf space.

I haven’t found a truly unscented brand, but the scent gets so diluted it’s pretty much washed away.

PS: They make strips for toilet bowl cleaning and dishwasher detergent as well. No big plastic bottles. I searched on line and found two places to buy them in Eugene but even more online.

Do you have Personal Green Choices to share with all of us? I will collect them for future segments. Email Marilyn at socialjustice@fcceugene.org