TRUE BLUE!

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9/16
If you have been preserving your own foods this season then buy your canning supplies from our True Blue manufacturer of the week, Jarden Home Brands, maker of Ball canning jars and lids. The production of the first Ball® branded glass jar marks the beginning of a fascinating history. The Ball Brothers Glass Manufacturing Company began manufacturing fruit jars in 1884 in Buffalo, New York. After a destructive fire in the Buffalo plant, however, the five Ball brothers and their families relocated to Muncie, Indiana, where their business has become known worldwide. As a leader in home food preservation, Jarden Home Brands is committed to continuing the tradition started by the Ball® brothers and handed down through generations by providing quality products to help Americans preserve garden fresh produce. "Join us in continuing our efforts to Preserve America for the next 125 years," their web site states. " When shopping for fresh preserving products, look for quality from the brands you trust in both Ball® and Kerr® Brands of Lids for Preserving. Our manufacturing facility in Muncie, Indiana produces each lid with pride. We use our custom, time-tested sealing compound to help ensure you get quality seal when fresh preserving. In addition, we use an underside coating on each lid to ensure the natural acids in your food will not react with the lid. Our Fresh Preserving Jelly, Half-Pint, Pint, and Quart jars are also manufactured right here in the USA as well as our lids."
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9/09
Our True-Blue company this week is Wickers-makers of high-performance thermal underwear and all weather clothing.  All Wickers garments are made in the United States of America! “We believe we have a responsibility to keep American workers working. And, a solid manufacturing base makes for a stronger America. Wickers is firmly committed to keeping our manufacturing right here in the USA where we can best serve our customers. And, no one knows the great American outdoors better than we do. We make quality products, at the right place, at the right time and at the right price.”

“All of the efforts that we put forth to ensure quality products and excellent customer service are not done to impress anyone. We simply believe fostering partnerships and providing quality products to the ultimate consumer is the right way to do business."
Anthony Mazzenga, CEO
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8/26
Our True Blue manufacturer of the week is us…the Ohio Valley Farmers’ Market. On September 1st at our Tuesday market in St. Clairsville, we will feature the many great products being produced right here in the Ohio Valley. You can’t get any more local than that! While the atmosphere will be festive with gingerbread, mulled cider and Christmas lights and music, the focus will be on how you can find unique, handcrafted gifts year round. Dolls, jewelry, tie-dyes, jam, honey, woodcrafts, cutting boards, decorative leaves, blankets, doilies, even your Christmas turkey…we have it all. And don’t forget, the Ohio Valley Farmers’ Market offers gift certificates for that hard to please person on your list.
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8/05
This week’s True Blue manufacturer is Preserve Products. Here is an excerpt from their website: “Preserve makes everyday products that offer more. We believe performance and style are every bit as important as their impact on the earth. Our toothbrush, tableware and all other Preserve products feel good to use and perform as well as or even better than the old standbys. We make our products from 100% recycled materials, which saves energy and natural resources. By manufacturing Preserve in the USA, we use less energy to get our products to your door. And all of our products are designed to stay out of landfills when you are finished with them.” So not only are they Made in the USA, they can qualify as our going green tip of the week as well!
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7/29
For more than 112 years Lodge has been making cast iron cookware. And, much of the cookware made generations ago is still in the kitchens of fourth generation cooks. That’s why we say that when you choose Lodge Cast Iron Cookware, you’ve made a friend that will last more than a lifetime. Today, Lodge Cast Iron remains a family owned, family operated business producing the most extensive selection of quality cast iron goods on the market. Lodge now offers an expanded line of cast iron cookware for America’s kitchens—Dutch ovens, the largest selection of cast iron skillets on the market, deep fryers, country kettles and more. When cooking outdoors, Lodge Cast Iron goes too, with camp dutch ovens, griddles, combo cookers and grills of unparalleled quality. (Please note: Lodge enamel coated cast iron is made in China.)
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7/22
Our True Blue company of the week is Duluth Pack in Duluth, MN. In business since 1882, their products are made in the USA and guaranteed for life. You’ll find a wide range of products including packs, totes, log carriers, dog collars, gun cases, and duffles in canvas and leather. Monogramming is available.
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7/15
This week's Made in the USA featured manufacturer hails from Pittsburgh, PA and will be a guest at The Big Green Event on August 1 in Bellaire. E-a-poo’s® has been on the Pittsburgh home front since 2002, pioneering the resurrection of cloth diapers on a local, national and international front for almost 8 years. Mary Beth Karchella-MacCumbee is a long time cloth diapering mother to three and fiber artist to many. Her cloth diapering experience began in 1989. She is a member of the Fiberart Guild of Pittsburgh and a returning student walking the journey to a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. With an approach to voluntary simplicity she continues to bring forth new, useful, reusable items from her original patterns for the entire family. While fitted cloth diapers have been the signature product to this company, the ideas do not stop there. Other products include: Luxurious Dupioni Silk Ring Slings, Organic Hemp or Bamboo Velour Nursing Pads, Natural and Organic Cloth Menstrual/Incontinent Pads, Tie Dye and Silkscreen shirts, Reusable waterproof wet bags for all needs, a variety of household cloth: Unpaper Towels, Un-TP for family, Baby Wipes, Produce and Tote Bags and Natural Hemp Cosmetic Rounds, and Natural Goat Milk Soaps. Please visit her at the market on August 1st!
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7/08
This week's Made in the USA featured manufacturer is New Balance. New Balance is the only athletic shoe company still producing the the United States. Let's support them and let them know why.
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7/01
If you have never been to Kidron, Ohio to visit Lehman's Harware Store, why not plan a trip there soon? The recently expanded store has a great selection of USA-made products. It is fun to browse the aisles to see how many you can find. They also have a catalog for mail ordering and are proud to highlight their USA-made merchandise. Many of the products are locally made, too. Check them out at Lehmans.com.
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6/24
Many jean companies have wrangled their way out of our family's home! But made in the USA jeans are still available. Our featured USA manufacturer is All American Clothing of Arcanum, Ohio. Here is an excerpt from their webiste: "Remember, you aren't just buying a pair of USA made jeans or a USA made shirt...YOU are supporting thousands of jobs here in the USA. From the farmer who grows the cotton, the mill that processes the cotton, the people who ship the cotton and drive the trucks, the people that design the products, the people that market the product, the warehouse workers that store the product, the person who packs the orders, the people who make the box to ship the product, the company that hosts this website, the website designer, the IT department, the Management and Customer Service people, the people who built our building and maintain our equipment. The list goes on and on and grows exponentially when you consider all the businesses involved and the other companies they count on!! Lets continue to support each other, buy USA Made!"
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6/21

This week's featured manufacturer of USA-made goods is the Holgate Toy Company.  "In 1789, the year George Washington became America's first President, Cornelius Holgate established a small woodworking shop on the outskirts of Philadelphia. From this humble background, Holgate Toys blossomed to become America's number one wood toy maker. In the 1920's and 30's, Jarvis Rockwell, brother of famous illustrator Norman Rockwell, was Holgate's chief toy designer. Rockwell's concern for safety, durability and educational play earned him recognition as the premier toy designer during this period. Generations have trusted Holgate for Safe, High Quality, Educational toys, made exclusively in the USA." You won't be disappointed in the quality and duribility of these wonderful, ageless toys.
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FOOD  FOR THOUGHT!

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9/23
According to Terry Sheldon of the Small Farm Training Center “eighty cents out of every food dollar Americans spend pays-not for food itself-but for the marketing services such as manufacturing, packaging, advertising, and transportation that brings food to us ‘conveniently.’ A few giant multinational corporations control your family’s industrially grown food. The future? A global food supply that makes Americans as dependent on other countries for food as we are today for oil. Food security means a healthy local food, free from chemical toxins and direct from a grower who places people above profits.” Thanks, Terry.
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9/16
Ohio Agricultural Director Robert Boggs has issued a challenge to all Ohioans to purchase local foods from September 13th through the 19^th. This challenge asks every family in Ohio to prepare one meal every day using fresh, nutritious foods that are made, grown, or raised here in Ohio. “When we purchase our food locally, our actions not only benefit the local economy and the environment, but we also enhance the quality of life for our farmers and our society as a whole,” Boggs states. Come visit the Ohio Valley Farmers’ Market and we can set you well on your way to meeting this challenge. The selection has never been better: veggies, fruits, meats, eggs, canned foods, and even dessert await you. If you can’t find all you need at the OVFM, then by all means, check out the Ohio Proud web site to learn about the more than 800 farm and farmers’ markets across the state. See you at the market!
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Late in the 1500s British traders introduced London’s greengrocers to a strange new vegetable they’d picked up along the coast of West Africa. By 1587 this so-called “Guinea squash” was on English dinner tables. Although eaten as a vegetable, it was actually a small fruit about the size of a hen’s egg. It was the same color as a hen’s egg also. This pure white ellipsoid made an eye-catching eatable, which for obvious reasons the public soon dubbed “egg-plant.” At roughly the same time another vegetable also appeared in Britain. This one had fruits nothing like eggs. They were much larger, deep purple in color, and irregularly misshapen. For all their differences, though, the two plants were botanically related and shared common culinary characteristics. For a while both were used. Eventually, however, the Guinea squash lost its toehold, and fell out of Western cuisine. The newcomer, on the other hand, not only survived but also took over its predecessor’s felicitous name. This is how a purplish blob, looking like no egg seen since perhaps the dinosaurs, came to be misnamed “eggplant.” (Source: Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables (2006) Development, Security, and Cooperation)
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/25/killing-chickens-at-home_n_268663.html

and if you have not read the referenced The Omnivore’s Dilemma, we highly recommend it.
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8/05
Many of you are small gardeners and may even be first time gardeners this season joining the movement to become a little less dependent on commercial growers and a little more self-reliant. If you are growing tomatoes, you might be seeing signs of the blight that is making its rounds in the area after a cooler than normal July. Late blight, a potentially devastating disease of tomato and potato, has been found in Ohio and may threaten home gardens and commercial operations alike. Responsible for the Irish potato famine of the 1840s, late blight has caused widespread crop damage across the United States and Canada since 1990. If left unmanaged, this disease — which is transmitted via spores — can result in complete destruction of tomato or potato crops. Ohio is one of the country’s top tomato growers, with annual production valued at more than $130 million for both fresh and processing tomatoes; the state also produces some 100 million pounds of potatoes a year. In Ohio, late blight was confirmed in a non-commercial tomato sample on June 25. Because infested tomato plants were traced to a garden center chain that has numerous stores across Ohio and the country, diseased plants may have already turned up in people’s vegetable gardens. Late blight thrives under weather conditions such as those we are experiencing in Ohio: nights in the 50s F and days in the 70s F, accompanied by rain, fog or heavy dew. Under those conditions, lesions may appear on leaves within three to five days of infection, followed by white mold growth soon after. Spores formed on the mold are spread readily by irrigation, rain and equipment. These spores can also be easily dislodged by wind and rain and can be blown into neighboring fields within five to 10 miles or more, beginning another cycle of disease. The pathogen overwinters only in living plant debris, most commonly on seed potatoes or unharvested and culls potatoes in the Northeast. Imported solanaceous transplants including tomato and petunia may harbor late blight. For cultural control, destroy cull potatoes and control potato volunteers in all fields. Use drip irrigation rather than overhead in order to keep the foliage dry. Alternatively, overhead irrigate early in the morning before dawn so the plants are dry early in the day. The key factor is to keep the period of leaf wetness to a minimum. For treatment options, contact your local Extension office.
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7/29
In the August/September edition of Mother Earth News, you will find an interview with Joel Salatin. (Read the entire interview here.) Salatin and his family own and operate Polyface Farm in Staunton, Va. He is the author of many books on farming including his latest Everything I Want to Do is Illegal… In the interview, Mr. Salatin is asked “What are some of the biggest challenges you think new farmers will have to face?” In light of the topic of last week’s Food for Thought, sharing part of his answer seemed very appropriate. Here it is: “The first and greatest challenge is experience-how to do more with less and how to solve problems creatively rather than with something purchased. Land is more available now than it has been in decades. With half of America’s farmland set to change hands in the next 15 years due to aging farmers, a lot of land will be available for management at extremely modest cost, owned by family members who aren’t ready to sell, or by new e-boom buyers able to afford to buy. I think the opportunities are practically unprecedented.” Mr. Salatin closes with these thoughts…”When was the last time you heard a group of parents bragging? Ever hear one say…My kid is going to grow up to be a farmer.” Ever hear that? Not on your life. The biggest obstacle is emotional-overcoming the cultural prejudice against splinters and blisters. That is why I talk about economics and marketing, along with the mystical, artistic elements of the farm. Yes, it’s a lot of work. But what a great office. What a noble life. What a sacred calling.”
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‘Know Your Farmer. Know Your Food’…’Who’s Your Farmer?’…’Buy Fresh. Buy Local’…you may have heard these slogans and many others, but have you ever thought about the future of agriculture in your community? A look at the farmers in this area reveals an aging group of produce growers. The cost of land is high, equipment prices out-of-sight, and let’s face it, it is hard, hard work with many uncontrollable challenges…such as the three weeks without rain some farmers just experienced.

According to a recent USDA statistic, the U.S. has lost 4.7 million farms since 1935, and you can add to that the 330 farmers who leave the land each week (Farm Aid). Farmland is being lost at the rate of 2 acres per minute. Less than 6% of farmers are under the age of 35. So how do we encourage young men and women to consider farming as a livelihood? First, we need to support our local farmers’ markets, farm stands, and pick-your-own operations. Then we need to view these markets as the opportunity to get the best value or our dollars. That doesn’t mean the food is cheaper than at the local retailer. It means it is a better value because it is packed with nutrition and therefore healthier for us. It also means we get to meet the farmer face-to-face and learn about the food we are buying. It also means we are helping to perpetuate a way of life that is dying-that of the small, local farm. How much is all that worth to you?

7/15
A personal reflection: I had a conversation with a gentleman recently who seemed very enlightenend about our current economic crisis. He told me that one of the reasons for our current situation is that we have lost the merchantile class in America. As I reflected on his philosophy, I remembered the small town of my childhood days. Store names such as Herzberg's, Berman's, Stanley Jewelers, Mendelson's, Boccabella's, and Fry's Market came to mind. I remembered a town with a full and bustling business district; a community that supported its people because we supported its merchants. Those names aren't on storefronts today. So let's take a look at one that is...Wal Mart. So how big are they? Americans spend $36,000,000 every hour of every day at Wal Mart at a profit of over $20.000 per minute. In five years, the number of Wal Mart stores increased by 25% to 3,900 and they are now the largest company in the history of the world. Wal Mart sells more food than Kroper and Safeway combined. But you can take a step to make a small difference. Support your local farmers' markets. You will find lots of "small town" pride and folks happy to serve you.  See you there!
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7/08
There is a movie coming out you won't want to miss. Efforts are underway by the OVFM to bring the movie, Food, Inc. to a local theater. Keep reading your Veggie Tale for more info. What is Food, Inc? Here is a synopsis from the website:

"In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that's been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, insecticide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won't go bad, but we also have new strains of e coli--the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults.

7/01
Hot dogs, apple pie and fireworks will be plentiful this weekend as we prepare to celebrate our nation. Please take some time to appreciate the freedoms we enjoy and give thanks for the many Americans who have served and are serving this country. God Bless each of you. The Ohio Valley Farmers' Market will be open on the 4th of July in Bellaire. Support our sellers by purchasing your picnic needs at the market. Pies, cookies, pickles, meats, eggs, veggies, cider, fruits, rolls...you can find it all at the market. Join us on Tuesday in St. Clairsville for Patriotic Patron Day. There will be three contests: Apple Pie Baking, Patriotic Patron and Hot Dog Eating. Check out our events page for more details.
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6/24
During our third annual 'Know Your Farmer. Know Your Food!' event this Saturday (June 27) in Bellaire, we invite you to participate in our first Customer Informational Scavenger Hunt. Pick up an entry form at the OVFM tent. Visit the various sellers and ask for the answer to the question about their farm, business, or product. Once you answer all the questions, return the form to the OVFM tent. Two lucky participants will win $25 in market coupons. While you are collecting your answers, we hope you will take the time to visit with the sellers. Many of them have gone to great lengths to provide a special activity, sample, or display for you this weekend. Get to know the farmers, bakers and crafters who are making the products you purchase! Know Your Farmer. Know Your Food!
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6/14

From Mother Earth News (April/May 2009)
The Multiple Benefits of Grassfarming:

More humane animal treatment
More nutritious meat and dairy products
Reduced flooding and soil erosion
Increased groundwater recharge
More sustainable manure management
Less E.coli food poisoning
More fertile soil and more nutritious forages
More diverse and healthier ecosystems
Reduced use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to grow unsustainable corn and soy.

Visit our growers who feature grassfed meats, cheeses and eggs!______________
 "Soon after the ongoing retail meltdown closes our stores, just after the E.P.A. shuts down a few more electrical generators, right after OSHA determines that all labor is dangerous and detrimental to our health, when we all have jobs and no one works, we will have realized the natural consequences of socialism.  Then, we can all wheelbarrow away our government bailout money, wondering to ourselves why there is nothing left to buy."
-Brett Merryman, Bellaire, Ohio

This section is under going reconstruction.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

LET'S GO GREEN!

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9/23
With rising energy costs and concern over pollution and global warming, folks are more interested in energy conservation than ever. Since winter is right around the corner, now is the time to make sure you'll save and conserve all you can. Now that fall has arrived, here is an inexpensive and even fun way to start winterizing your home. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, drafts can waste 5 to 30% of your energy use. Start simple and adopt that old Great Depression fixture, the draft snake. Place a rolled bath towel or custom-made "snake" across the bottom of leaky doors and windows. Get the kids involved and decorate with googly eyes, felt tongues and the like. You can use any scraps of fabric -- even neckties -- and fill with sand or kitty litter for heft.
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9/16
Follow these simple tips to save on CO2 emissions and fuel. Every gallon of gasoline burned produces 19 pounds of carbon dioxide (25 pounds when you count the energy that went into making and distributing it), so every gallon really does make a difference. We live in an impatient world, so we know it can be painful, but obeying the speed limit saves gas. So does maintaining a constant speed. Rapid acceleration and braking can decrease fuel economy by 33%. Combine trips and try to avoid rush hour because of the stop and go nature of traffic. Flooring the gas pedal can waste gas, so drive less aggressively. Forget warming up. It is not necessary with today's cars. Keep your tires properly inflated and keep your car tuned up.
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9/09
When it's time to send your children off to school, put them on the school bus instead of driving them in your own vehicle (unless they are close enough to walk or bike). Today, about 25% of children ride the big yellow bus. The school bus is actually the safest way for children to travel to school, according to the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies of Science and Engineering. An average of 20 children die each year to and from school in buses, and 6,000 are injured, compared with more than 600 deaths and 129,000 injured while commuting via automobile. Buses are considerably more efficient than cars, using less fuel and releasing lower amounts of carbon emissions. New technology is making diesels cleaner, and hybrid and natural gas options are starting to become available.  Plus, think of the time you'll save (not to mention the gas money!) by not having to drop your kids off yourself!
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8/26
If you buy your daily cup of coffee in a disposable container, you are generating about 22.75 pounds of waste per year. Across the country, 25 billion polystyrene (Styrofoam) cups are thrown away every year, according to the EPA. That's troubling, because polystyrene takes hundreds of years to break down, and is made of nonrenewable petroleum. Scientists have also discovered carcinogenic compounds leaching out of polystyrene, possibly even into your hot drink! Cups made of paper products are easier on the environment, but they are made of trees and can result in destructive deforestation. Even recycled paper cups require considerable energy to produce and distribute. It's wise to use ceramic or glass containers for your hot beverages, because plastics can leach out small amounts of potentially toxic chemicals over time, particularly phthalates and bisphenol A. If the risk of breakage is high, and for on-the-go uses, consider stainless steel. As an added incentive, remember that many coffee shops and university food services offer discounts for those who bring in their own reusable containers. Starbucks offers a 10-cent discount to those with their own mugs encouraging 13.5 million customers to help keep 586,800 pounds of paper from landfills in 2003.
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8/05
This week we are proud to feature the eco-friendly coffee cups now being used at our Bellaire market. Made in the USA by International Paper, the cups contain NATUREWORKS BIOPOLYMER a sustainable resource that is environmentally friendly. Made from fully renewable resources, compostable in commercial and municipal composting systems and requiring less energy to produce, we are proud to offer these cups to our customers to provide you with the opportunity to feel good about having a positive impact on the environment. Coupled with the fact our coffee is organic and fair trade, you can feel great about enjoying a cup of coffee with us on Saturday mornings!
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7/29
This week’s ‘Go Green’ tip is to ‘Go to THE BIG GREEN EVENT!’ This Saturday, August 1st from 9 to noon in Bellaire, we will offer you a host of opportunities to learn about ways to become eco-friendly. All of our sellers have been invited to display their favorite go green tips. At the OVFM tent, you’ll find hand-outs on green cleaning options as well as many other educational materials. Our guest vendors E-A-Poo’s, Gardenalia, and Puketa Creek will share about their products: natural fiber diapers and products, sustainable landscaping and natural soap nuts, a laundry and cleaning product. Keep Belmont County Beautiful will have many great tips as well. Plan to spend the morning and bring the kids. There will be many fun activities for them to enjoy. Visit our events page for all the day’s activities.
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Our Going Green tip for the week is to “buy smart.” Invest in high-quality products that will last longer. You may have to pay more now, but you’ll be happy when you don’t have to replace items as frequently which also means less waste. When it comes to electronics this is important because e-waste contains mercury and other toxins and is a growing environmental problem. Belmont County residents will have the opportunity to recycle their unwanted electronic devices on Saturday, August 15 from 10 am to 2 pm at the Ohio Valley Mall in St. Clairsville. The E-cycle Event is a program of the Jefferson-Belmont Regional Solid Waste Authority. Recyclable items include hard drives, mainframe servers, keyboards, cell phones, telephones, power cords, fax machines, printers, CD’s and floppy discs, UPS batteries, car batteries, cell phone batteries, laptops, monitors, televisions (a small charge applies for large TVs), flat screen TVs, microwaves, VCR and DVD players, cable boxes, electric motors, and docking stations.  E-cycling for Jefferson County residents will take place on August 22 at the Fort Steuben Mall.
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7/15
Recycle, recycle, recycle! If you change your own car oil, you can take the used oil to the following stores for recycling: Auto Zone (740-695-3022) and Advanced Auto Parts (740-633-2181 or 671-9588). Did you know that Americans improperly dispose of more oil each year than was spilled by the Exxon Valdez tanker?
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7/08
Glass. It has been around for centuries serving as a universal packaging containter. In 2001, Americans generated 10.9 millions ton of glass in municipal solid waste. About 22% was recycled. While recovery of glass has increased from 750,000 tons in 1980 to 2.4 million tons in 2001, there is still alot more to be recycled. Glass can be recycled over and over again and retain its strength. 90% of the glass that is recycled is used to make new food containers. Today, most glass manufacturers rely on the supply of recycled crushed glass known as cullet. Cullet is mixed with sand, soda ash, and limestone then heated to 2600 degrees and molded into the desired shape. Using cullet saves money and helps the environment because it costs less than the other raw materials, prolongs furnace life by requring a lower temperature, and demands less energy (electricity, natural gas and coal) which means reduced emissions of nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide, both greenhouse gases.  So recycle your glass containers. If you need a place to recycle, the recycling barn that was formerly located at the parking lot in Bellaire is now behind Krogers in the Imperial Plaza.
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7/01
The MICHELIN^® Energy™ Saver A/S Tire, claims to be the most fuel-efficient tire on the road. "It provides the perfect balance of lower CO₂ and gas savings for your modern life. All on a tire that can take the curves of life without compromising on safety, comfort or wear." Michelin says the tire reduces CO₂ emissions as much as planting 40 trees and saves you money with up to 8% more fuel efficiency than other tires. It also stops 8 feet shorter for added safety.
And I checked...it is made in the USA!
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6/24
Allow your computer moniter to rest. Putting your computer monitor to sleep when you leave for an extended period of time conserves energy because monitors are responsible for over one-third of a computer's energy consumption.
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6/21
Water! With the abundant rain lately, we sure have alot of it right now. But did you know that even though more than 70% of the earth is covered with water, only 3% is freshwater? And of the small percentage that is freshwater, 2% is frozen leaving us with only 1% as groundwater, lakes, rivers and streams? Here are a few water conservation tips...only run the dishwasher and washing machine when full. Dishwashers use less water than handwashing. Shut off the water while brushing teeth and lathering hands. Water runs out of the spigot at about 4 gallons per minute. Installing a low flush toilet can save an average of 45 gallons of water per day. Repair leaky faucets which can waste 1,000 gallons of water per year! Reduce your shower time. A 20 minute shower uses 16-20 gallons while a 10 minute shower uses 8-10. Invest in a low-flow shower head which allows you to use even less water by increasing pressure. The best ones have a shut off so you can stop or reduce water flow while lathering. A USA-made one is available at Real Goods.
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6/14
On Saturday, June 13th from 10-2 at the old Giant Eagle lot in Bridgeport, residents of Belmont and Jefferson County (proof of residency required) can participate in a Household Hazardous Waste Collection. Drop off household cleaners, pesticides, pool chemicals, aerosols, antifreeze, motor oil, gasoline, kerosene, paint and paint products, solvents, roof/driveway sealers, lightbulbs with mercury, batteries, mercury thermometers, propane cylinders (grill size or smaller.) Now is the time to clean out your cupboards, basements and garages!

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Drink water from reusable glassware. Drinking water from containers you don't throw away can save you money, improve your health, and help the planet!