Debra has written 4 reviews
Great gas mileage
I bought this car used 5 years ago, when it looked like we were about to go to war over oil. It more than doubled my miles per gallon while being able to run on a non-petroleum, alternate fuel, biodiesel. I have been telling people for years that we cannot just go over to biodiesel, we need to change our life style. I was hoping that being an early adapter would help spur research for use in transit. Anyway, problems with the present concept of biodiesel aside, the car has been great ! I average 45mpg, more than my neighbors prius, for my demanding mountain driving. The car cost a whole lot less too. I have sucessfully taken myself, 3 children, camping gear, and 4 bikes across state on vacation. I live in a weather and altitude challenged location, it has plenty of power moving up the mountain. The only problems I have had running biodiesel has been the little fuel return hoses from the cylinders get eaten up by it. And, I wonder about one other repair that I'll have to look up and edit in. Also, in my area there are not as many shops that work on TDI's as I would like for cost effect choices. Everyone in the house loves driving this car.
keywords: car, diesel, fuel efficient, TDI, volks wagen
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Trader joes reusable shopping bag
I have a lot of reusable bags, this is my only one like this. It is stiff, easy to wipe off, same size as a regular grocery bag. It is also great as the "outside" bag to put all the other floppier bags into to store next to the front door or in the car trunk. I think it is sturdier than the obiquitous cheaper bags now out there, and especially good for wet produce, or frozen foods since it wont soak through. Not biodegradable, though, like the organic canvas, but neither are most of the new ones. Would definitely recommend it.
keywords: wateresistant, reusable, shopping bag, grocery bag
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our experience with home soy milk maker
I live in a very eco freindly house, and in assessing our impact latly, I noticed we use ALOT of soymilk ( I have 3 kids), which means ALOT of packaging. Yes, it's supposedly recycled, but these asceptic packages are very energy and petroleum product intensive. In researching it, I decided to try a home soymilk maker, we've had it for a week.
Well, it is quick and easy to use. It will save alot of packaging, and money. The taste is not the same as what we where buying, but I have not been adding any sweetener or vanilla, and 3 out of 4 of us think the taste is ok and the 4th household member wont eat it on her cereal yet, Im hoping she'll get used to it. We normally bought unsweetened soymilk at the store.
We used the tofu mold twice. The tofu tastes great ! And, it is very easy to make. Of course, 1 1/2 quarts of soymilk (1 batch from the maker) does not make a very big tofu (most of the soymilk volume goes to whey). I would say it is a 2 person serving, so we would need 2 batches of it for dinner for my family.
The part I am finding hard is cleaning the filter screen. I am going to try and work on this one. Because this is a very eco freindly off the grid type house, we dont always have alot of hot water at the tap. It must be cleaned immediatelly with very hot sudsy water scrubbed thru the screen, because the screen holes are so small and the soybean pulp will clog it if it dries in it (then you have to boil it, like I had to once.) I didnt realize this a was washing it with lukewarm water which caused the pulp to dry in the holes.
keywords: food, trash reduction, soymilk, save money
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great health supplement
I have been using it for 5 months, and find it a great afternoon pick up. I use the unsweetened powder and add it to unsweetened yogurt or smoothie. That way I can add my own no sugar sweetener and it costs less.
keywords: acai, food, supplement
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