The original diesel engine was made to run on peanut oil. Petroleum-based diesel became the fuel of choice in the early twentieth century because it was abundant. It is possible, however, to use plant-based diesel in a diesel engine with no engine modifications. It is called biodiesel, and it is growing in popularity because it is biodegradable, non-toxic, and non-flammable. It … [Read more...]
Make your own electric vehicle
Homemade electric vehicles are becoming more common. Although it may sound intimidating, the idea of building your own electric vehicle is gaining popularity. You can find a multitude of blogs and videos online about building your own bicycle, motorcycle, and car. Ben Nelson of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, has built all three, even though he is not an engineer or a mechanic. In … [Read more...]
Minestrone soup
Here is a simple recipe from EcoThrifty. If you are new to cooking, make this on the weekend when you are feeling rushed. If you have a large family, you can double or triple this. Even if you don't have a large family, you can double this recipe and have left-overs for lunch during the week at work. Minestrone is a great soup to make on a day when you can’t spend much time … [Read more...]
Come home to a hot dinner
To help you with this month's goal of cooking at home, here is a soup recipe from EcoThrifty: For years, split pea soup was one of our favorite dinners in the winter. When I worked full time, I would start the soup in a slow cooker and put dough ingredients in the bread maker before leaving in the morning. We would arrive home in the evening to the wonderful aroma of fresh … [Read more...]
Healthier eating one month at a time
Happy New Year! A new year really is a great time to make plans for a new life. Whether you routinely make resolutions every January 1 or you swore them off years ago as impossible, I hope you'll at least "hear me out" and read the rest of this post. It is a well-accepted fact that the majority of our health problems today are diet related -- heart disease, cancer, diabetes, … [Read more...]
Do you need mouthwash?
The short answer is no. But what about all those ads that say mouthwash is awesome and does awesome things for your teeth and gums? Well, they're ads. They're trying to sell mouthwash. Unfortunately, mouthwash is worse than simply useless. It can actually be harmful. One study found that people who use mouthwashes with a high amount of alcohol in them are at an increased … [Read more...]
It’s NOT all or nothing
A couple of weeks ago I was being interviewed on a radio talk show, and after I said that people could save a lot of money by making their own coffee at home instead of buying it at a coffee shop, the interviewer seemed to suddenly panic and was quick to interrupt and say, "But we're not telling people to stop going to coffee shops! Sometimes you have to go out and have a cup … [Read more...]
The miracles of baking soda
In EcoThrifty, baking soda is mentioned in several chapters as an inexpensive substitute for many commercial products. Here is a sample -- Facial scrub -- Put a little baking soda in your wet hand, rub your palms together and then gently apply the baking soda paste to your face. Rinse off and pat skin dry. It's a great exfoliator, and your skin will feel so soft! Scouring … [Read more...]
How I learned to live without a car
by Margaret Boehle I never imagined myself living in a big city like Chicago. I grew up in suburbs until I was 14, when my parents moved to the country. From that point it was impossible to imagine not having a car to get around, since our closest town of note was 12 miles away. When I was 20 I purchased a car, and three years later it was paid off. Accepting a job in … [Read more...]
Ecothrifty cookware
You can even cooks eggs without sticking in cast iron! It didn’t take me a terribly long time to decide that there were problems with inexpensive non-stick cookware. The non-stick surface wears off within a few years, and you are left with pots and pans to which food will stick. I was left wondering where those tiny bits of non-stick surface went. My favorite cookware is … [Read more...]