Homeowners spend thousands of dol-lars per year on energy. Whether ahome is big or small, energy costs

are a concern for homeowners.Though some of the costs of home owner-

ship are beyond a person’s control, there aresome steps homeowners can take to reduceenergy costs and save substantial amounts ofmoney as a result.

■ Address any leaks. One of the mosteffective ways to cut energy costs is to weath-er strip doors and windows throughout thehouse. Doing so will keep warm air in thehouse when it’s cold and prevent drafts thatoccur when cold air enters the home throughcracks and leaks. If a home has an attic, besure to seal pipes, chimneys or ductwork.Addressing leaks can save homeowners asmuch as 10 percent on their annual homeenergy costs.

■ Use compact fluorescent lightbulbsinstead of incandescent lightbulbs. CFLs useone-quarter to one-third less energy than tra-ditional incandescent lightbulbs. In addition,the Alliance to Save Energy notes that CFLscan last up to 10 times longer than traditionallightbulbs.

■ Be mindful of the thermostat. Mosthomeowners and their families spend a good

portion of their day out of the house. Homeheating costs can be reduced by as much as20 percent if homeowners simply lower thethermostat during the day by 10 F. For home-owners who feel they won’t remember to doso on a regular basis, a programmable ther-mostat will do the job on its own.

■ Lower water temperature. Loweringwater temperature can also lead to substantialsavings. Homeowners can save as much asfive percent on their water bill by loweringthe temperature on their water heater by aslittle as 10 F. When doing so, touch the out-side of the water heater. If the outside is cold,the water heater has sufficient insulation Ifthe water heater is hot to the touch, wrap awater heater jacket around it to increase effi-ciency.

■ Replace older appliances. Older appli-ances, be it an older central air conditioningunit or an older water heater, often need toexpend more energy than they did when theywere new. What’s more, especially olderappliances might not meet Energy Star stan-dards, which can cost homeowners substan-

●●●●●●

SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 2012 Page C1

Building tips:

Net-zero is new lingoE

xpect to hear ‘net zero’ more oftenin energy conversations. It is nowpossible to build a facility — even a

home — that is so energy efficient itproduces zero demand on the publicelectricity supply.

Earlier in the year, a constructionteam dedicated to this kind of break-through opened the net-zero,Richardsville Elementary School inLexington, Kentucky.

“All combined, the energy perform-ance of this school is expected to sur-pass all expectations,” says Todd Blyth,marketing manager at Nudura, themanufacturers of an advanced version ofthe insulated concrete form (ICF) usedin the plan. “In addition to replacingwood with our rock-solid walls, therooftop solar panels cover 38,700 squarefeet and provide all of the school’s elec-tricity needs.”

Blyth expects more and more build-ings and houses of the future to aim atnet-zero. It starts with the initial mate-rials and a “building envelope” thatprovides maximum insulation.

“Richardsville Elementary sets astandard that can be applied to home-building, too,” Blyth continued. “If, atthe outset, decisions are made carefullyregarding the walls, windows, roofing,water management, ventilation andindoor climate control, you are well onyour way to completely offsetting thefamily energy consumption.”

If you’d like your own house buildingto aim for net-zero, take a look at some

of the most important components:■ Solar panels on the roof with an

electricity grid.■ Geothermal heating and cooling.■ Walls of concrete, not wood. The

Nudura system is comprised of stay-in-place, pre-assembled blocks, steel rein-forced, and then filled with concrete. Itreplaces traditional building methods.The durability and energy efficiency ofconcrete has shown to reduce energycosts up to 70 percent. Better still, theentire structure (www.nudura.com) isreported to be stronger, provide greaterfire protection and with far more soundinsulation.

■ CO2 monitoring system for venti-

lation. It keeps good air quality indoorsand allows no more outdoor air thannecessary.

■ North-south positioning deliversprolonged day lighting, without glare.All artificial lighting is off during 70percent of school hours.

■Wireless computers. The lab uti-lizesfive carts, each loaded with 30 lap-tops saving energy, wiring and con-struction. Laptops use a fraction of theenergy used to run a typical desktopcomputer.

■Food preparation is energy-effi-cient. School kitchens typically use asmuch as 25 percent of a school’s elec-tricity.

Consider theseeco-statistics

Think it takes a lot toimprove the environment?Think again. Here are somefacts to ponder that show justhow it easy it can be to make apositive impact on the world inwhich we live.

■ By turning down your cen-tral heating thermostat onedegree, fuel consumption is cutby as much as 10 percent.

■ Replacing all the 75-wattincandescent light bulbs toenergy-efficient CFLs andLEDs can reduce carbon diox-ide in the air by one ton.

■ Insulating the attic reducesenergy usage by up to 20 per-cent in most homes.

■ 848 pieces of junk mailare delivered to each house-hold per year in the U.S. Optingfor e-mail promotions can helpreduce junk mail.

■ According to theEnivronmental ProtectionAgency, in the past 50 yearshumans have consumed moreresources than in all previoushistory.

The Nudurasystem is com-prised of stay-in-place, pre-assembledblocks, steelreinforced, andthen filled withconcrete. Itreplaces tradi-tional buildingmethods.

FILE PHOTO

By 2012, the building codes in many parts of North America willbe demanding greater energy efficiency with methods andmaterials.

This requirement may be mandated, but when building a home, dospeak to your builder about the right green options for you. Energyefficiency should start as early as possible once construction begins.

For example, concrete walls are now replacing the old wood framemethod. By choosing concrete, not only do you save forests and trees,you could realize savings up to 50 percent on household energy bills.

When you opt for the faster, Nudura wall-building system of pre-assembled insulated concrete forms (ICF), your home stands to bestronger, provide greater safety, and more sound resistance — and isfar less prone to mould, cold spots and drafts.

Other green options to build value into your home are solar power,water management, drainage, windows, siding, heating/cooling, ven-tilation, electrical, and outdoor irrigation.

Ask builder for enviro-friendly materials

12 tips forgoing green

Conserve water. Turnoff the tap betweenbrushing teeth or rinsingoff dishes. Better yet,install low-flow faucets,showerheads and toiletsthat reduce the consump-tion of water in thehousehold.

Motion detection:Motion-detector lightscan be installed in differ-ent rooms of the homeand outdoors. Lights willautomatically turn on andoff depending on theactivity in the area, reduc-ing the chances of a lightbeing left on inadvertentlyand wasting money andenergy.

Solar panels: You mayhave been toying with theidea of solar panels foryears. They can beinstalled on the roof or inthe yard to power variouscomponents of the house-hold, like lights during atraditional power outageor the swimming pool fil-ter. Today it is possible tobuy used solar panels,many of which still have alot of life left to them andare considerably cheaperthan new ones.

Aluminum storm door:Insulate the entryway ofyour home with a stormdoor that will bufferagainst harsh weatherconditions. While you’recreating a more air-tightspace, caulk around win-dows and doors.

Replace air filters.Your HVAC system likelyhas filters inside that trapdirt and contaminants.Replacing the filters leadsto cleaner indoor air andhelps the unit run moreefficiently.

Power strips:Stock up on power

strips and plug all of yourperipherals and computerequipment into thesestrips.

See TIPS, Page 4C

You can cut energy costs at home

SEALED WINDOWS and storm doors make a marked difference in

Reusing: A great, easy way to recycleC

hewing gum as an art medi-um? Beer as a hair serum?Surprisingly, these items and

many more are reused every day,playing a host of roles they werenever intended for. Before itemsare relegated to the trash, individ-uals can think about ways thesesame items can be reused andreincarnated into several otherpurposes.

Today’s younger generationshave grown up in a time whendisposable items are de rigueur.But long before disposable itemsbecame the norm, men, womenand children were forced to makedue with items that were longpast their expiration dates, evenreusing them in new ways. Whilethis practice might have beenreplaced by the convenience ofdisposable items, eco-consciouscitizens can still embrace this old

and environmentally friendlytrend.

Find out if it can be fixed. Anappliance on the fritz or a toy thathas lost a part might not need tobe discarded. Before finding thetrash can, find out if the item canbe fixed. It may take a shortinquiry to the company or thework of a handyman to repair abroken item and set it right again,but such efforts are worth it.

Polish pots. With thoroughcooking and oxidation, copperpots and even steel ones can beginto look dingy. Regular, old beercan be used as a polishing agent toget them to sparkle. Because ofbeer’s subtle acidity, it can helpboost shine without staining themetal like a higher-acidity liquidwould.

Embrace newspapers’ versatil-ity. There are millions of newspa-

pers printed and used worldwide.The average household may haveone or more newspapers deliveredeach week, and newsprint is alsoused for junk mail and advertise-ments. While recycling does helpcut down on newspapers, thereare other ways to put old papers togood use. Line the bottom ofrefrigerator drawers with thepaper to catch spills and eliminateodors. Use shredded paper as kittylitter or in bird cages. Wrap unripefruit in newsprint to help it ripenfaster. You can also place newspa-per at the bottom of a plantingbed before you cover it with soilor mulch to keep away weeds.

Give old jeans a new life. It’shard to part with that favorite pairof jeans sometimes. Whetherthey’re stained or simply don’t fitanymore, you can turn the deniminto something new. Doll clothes

are easily crafted from scraps ofdenim. Or, why not turn pieces ofdenim into a durable, reusableshopping bag to take to stores? Apatchwork quilt made of squaresof denim can be used as a picnicblanket or beach throw in a pinch.

See, RECYCLE Page 4C

FILE PHOTO

Line the bottom of refrigerator draw-ers with the paper to catch spills andeliminate odors.

SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2012Page 2C

DUMPSTER DAYS

A&S Metals will have recycling bins at all of these

locations accepting the following items:

Paper (Newspaper, magazines, envelopes, copy paper, shredded paper, phone books), Cardboard

(boxes such as cereal, etc.), Aluminum, Steel (Labels are OK,but they have to be rinsed out),

Plastic (#1 - #7)

NO GLASS OR STYROFOAM

Money recovered from the recyclables will be given to The United Way Campaign.

Please contribute and give to the people in need that live in our community!

United Way of Butte and Anaconda need your help and NOW is an ideal time to help!

Brought to you by:

BU

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At home:

Preventing pollution T

oday’s homeowners are increasingly eco-con-scious. As a result, many homeowners take aneco-friendly approach toward home improve-

ment projects. Whereas homeowners once worriedmost about their bottom lines without regard for theenvironment, nowadays a project’s carbon footprint ishigh on many a homeowner’s priority list. What’smore, eco-friendly additions or adjustments to a homemight make homeowners eligible for tax breaks, andsuch projects often make a home more appealing toprospective buyers. Some of the more common ways tomake a home more eco-friendly include:

■ Replace vinyl flooring with natural linoleum orrecycled rubber floors.

■ Replace old carpet with carpet tiles made of recy-cled content or use organic cotton area rugs throughoutthe home.

■ Replace stone countertops with bamboo, terrazzoor paper-stone alternatives.

■ Replace traditional wood flooring with reclaimedwood flooring or aesthetically appealing bambooflooring.

When many people think of pollution, amongthe first images that come to mind arecrowded highways with gas guzzling big rigs

spewing exhaust into the air. But oversized trucks haul-ing loads don’t have the pollution market cornered. Infact, many homeowners might be contributing to airpollution every time they work on their own yards.

Emissions from lawn mowers, chain saws, leaf blow-ers, and other outdoor power equipment account for asignificant amount of pollution. What’s more, suchemissions might be contributing to the formation ofground-level ozone, which can compromise humanhealth.

Homeowners concerned about the environmentmight feel as though they’re caught in a Catch-22.Protecting the environment is likely important to thembut so is taking care of their property. However, it’spossible to do both; it just requires taking a few preven-tative measures when working out in the yard.

Don’t spill the gas. Small gasoline spills can dam-age the yard, leaving dead spots wherever gas came intocontact with the yard. But even the smallest of spillscan cause the gas to evaporate and pollute the air.When refilling the gas tank, do so on the driveway andnot in the yard to avoid damaging the property. Use agasoline container that’s easy to handle and use a fun-nel or spout to reduce the likelihood of spillage. Oncethe tank has been filled, make sure the caps on both thepower equipment and the gasoline container have beenclosed tightly, and store the container out of the sun-light, ideally in a cool, dry place.

Go manual. Some lawn maintenance requires theuse of gas-powered tools to get the job done in a timelyfashion. Homeowners with large yards, for instance,will likely need a gas-powered mower to cut their grassin a reasonable amount of time. However, in lieu of gas-powered tools to trim hedges and trees around the yard,use a traditional manual hedge clipper instead. Many oftoday’s manual hand tools are designed to be user-friendly and, as a result, are much lighter and less bulkythan the tools of yesteryear. Homeowners with smalleryards might even consider using reel push mowers thatdon’t generate any emissions whatsoever.

Cut down on cutting. Instead of cutting the grassevery weekend, visit the local lawn and garden centerand ask if there are any grass and flower seed mixturesthat will make the grass grow more slowly. This oftendepends on the region and the type of grass that thrivesin the region, but it can help reduce the number oftimes the lawn needs to be cut and reduce emissions asa result.

Protect kids from poor environmentA

s many across the globe adopt more eco-friendly lifestyles, protecting the environ-ment remains a top priority. The popularity

of hybrid cars continues to rise while more and morecommunities are recycling and reusing. Each of thosethings is an effort to decrease carbon footprint and pro-tect the environment from human behaviors that can beharmful to the planet.

But what about protecting kids from the environ-ment? According to the Environmental ProtectionAgency’s Office of Children’s Health Protection, chil-dren might be especially vulnerable to adverse contami-nants in the environment. That’s because a child’s bod-ily system is still developing, and kids eat more, drinkmore and breathe more in proportion to their body size.In addition, kid’s behaviors can expose them to morechemicals and organisms. But parents can protect theirkids from potentially harmful environmental factors ina number of ways.

Help kids breathe easier. One of the best ways par-ents can protect kids is to take steps to help thembreathe easier. By doing the following, parents can dojust that.

■ Quit smoking.■ Quit smoking in the home or in the car.■ Keep the home clean, routinely removing dust and

mold.■ Eliminate pet dander, which can trigger asthma

attacks and allergies, around the house.■ Monitor ozone levels and keep kids indoors on

ozone alert days when airpollution is high.

■ Reduce motor vehicleidling.

Protect kids from leadpoisoning. Lead poisoningis another environmentalfactor that puts kids at risk.The United States bannedthe use of lead-based paintin 1978, but homes builtprior to 1978 were not underrestrictions. That meanslead exposure is still a pos-sibility in older homes, soparents should take the fol-lowing safety measures toensure their kids aren’t at risk.

■ Have homes built before 1978 tested for lead paint.■ Have kids’ blood tested for lead. These tests can

detect high levels of lead and are most important forchildren between the ages of 1 and 2. Levels of lead in achild’s blood typically increase rapidly from six to 12months of age and often peak somewhere between 18and 24 months.

■ Wash children’s hands before they eat, and be sureto wash bottles, pacifiers and toys thoroughly andoften.

■ Wash windows and window sills to protect kidsfrom dust and peeling paint contaminated with lead.

Eco-friendlyinterior options

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SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2012 Page 3C

From tips to rebates and incentives, Efficiency Plus (E+) offers dozens of

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Your home or business may qualify for a FREE energy audit.

NorthWestern Energy makes it easy to start saving energy and money

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For business customers· Rebates for lighting, electronics,

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· Custom incentives for qualifying electric and natural gas conservation.

· Offerings for building upgrades or new construction.

For residential customers· Rebates and incentives on lighting,

insulation, thermostats, heating, air conditioning, electronics, appliances and water heaters.

· Programs for new and existing homes.

· Savings for both electric and natural gas customers.

Over the last several years, home-owners have increasingly lookedfor ways to make their homes more

environmentally friendly. From morecomplicated projects such as installingeco-friendly home fixtures to simplermeasures like replacing incandescentlightbulbs with compact fluorescentlightbulbs that consume far less energy,the options for eco-conscious home-owners are numerous.

Perhaps no eco-friendly homeimprovement has garnered more atten-tion and acclaim in recent years than corkflooring. Because only the bark of a corktree is harvested to produce cork floor-ing, the cork tree can continue to flourishafter the product is removed. In fact, theEnvironmental Protection Agency notesthat even after cork is initially harvestedfrom a cork oak tree, that tree will likely

live another 100-120 years and can con-tinue to be harvested every 9-12 years.What’s more, cork is extracted entirely byhand, without any machinery that mightpotentially harm the environment.

Homeowners who have chosen corkoften cite its structure as one of its mostappealing qualities. Because it is soft,cork flooring has a cushioning effect that

is both comfortable and helps reducenoise around the home. In addition, aircells within the cork help trap heat,meaning cork flooring acts as an insula-tor that can help homeowners reduceenergy consumption while lowering theirheating bills along the way.

But as beneficial as cork can be aroundthe house, it’s no longer restricted to

flooring. That’s thanks in large part toNew York-based entrepreneur and envi-ronmentalist Michelle Brown, who dis-covered cork on a trip to Portugal, wherethe versatile eco-friendly material wasused to create a host of products.

“(In Portugal) I was introduced toitems made from cork and couldn’tunderstand why this amazing resourcewas vastly underused,” says Brown, whosoon decided to bring this versatile mate-rial to the American marketplace.

Within two years of her trip toPortugal, Brown had done just that,founding All Cork, which produces eco-friendly and vegan handbags and otherfashion accessories for men and womenthat are lightweight, durable, and stain-and water-resistant. More informationabout cork and All Cork products isavailable at www.allcork.com.

●●●

SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 2012Page 4C

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Tips...Continued from 1C

This way when you want to powerdown everything completely, you simplyturn off the power button on the strip.This ensures no devices are drawingpower even in the off position, whichmany do.

Install fans. Fans aren’t just useful inthe summer. In the winter, the bladescan be set to rotate in the oppositedirection and help draw warm air intothe room, heating more efficiently.

Rainwater barrels: Set up rainwaterbarrels at the downspouts of yourhome’s gutter system. These barrels col-lect water that can be used to waterindoor and outdoor plants, or even washthe car. Some feature a spigot to whichyou can directly connect a garden hose.

Plant trees. Trees are good for theenvironment in many ways, producingnecessary oxygen for life and offeringfood and living areas for wildlife. Treescan also shade a home during the warmweather, helping reduce energy con-

sumption.Glass fireplace doors: Install glass

fireplace doors, which are safer thanfireplace screens. They’ll also help pro-tect against heat loss up the chimneywhen there isn’t a fire lit.

Buy a solar cover. Warm up your spaall season long with a solar cover, whichhelps keep debris out of the water, too.Solar covers reduce the need to fire upthe heater to warm the water.

Dog waste composter: Create amethod to safely dispose of dog wastewithout having to toss it in plastic bagsin the trash. There are devices that canbe buried into the ground to serve as adog waste receptacle. Or you can makeone of your own by placing a containerwith a lid that seals on top but has anopen bottom. Sprinkle a natural bacteriaseptic tank product, such as Rid-X®,down the hole routinely and it will breakdown the waste and turn it into soil fer-tilizer.

There are a variety of ways to gogreen with home improvements,whether extensive projects or smallfixes.

• This Day In History • This Day In History • This Day In History • This

Day In History • This Day In History • This Day In History • This Day In

History • This Day In History • This Day In History • This Day In History

• This Day In History • This Day In History • This Day In History • This

Day In History • This Day In History • This Day In History • This Day In

Did you know!

This Day in HistoryEvery day in The Montana Standard

Recycle...Continued form 1C

Jeans can also be donated so the less fortunate can ben-efit from the clothing.

Swap and share. Before buying anything, find out ifothers might lend you things that you need. You maynot need a specialized power tool for more than a dayor so, and borrowing items can allow you to do a testdrive of sorts before you actually make a purchase.There are social networking sites that enable people toconnect with others to share and swap things theyhave. One may have a bounty of backyard produce toshare while another may have a collection of paperbackbooks ready to be read. Clothing, baby items, toys, andthe like can easily be shared or given away. One of themore popular neighborhood activities these days is tohost a clothing swap party, where participants bring aset number of clothing items they no longer use (thatare in good condition) and everyone swaps things torefresh their wardrobes at no cost.

Recycle items to protect gadgets. Turn a child’sempty juice box into a case for your smartphone. Knitor sew a cover for your new tablet or e-reader withscraps of fabric or yarn. Remember those worn jeansfrom before? Make a pouch to store your GPS device soit can be moved from car to car.

When individuals think about the items they havearound the house and how they can be repurposed,there is less likelihood those spent items will end up inthe garbage.

If swapping items seems like the ideal concept foryou, visit http://swapforgood.org/ and find out howyou can get started swapping your used items forsomething else.

CORK: not just for floors anymore

Simplify to save the planetW

ith such a global focus onthe deteriorating condi-tion of the environment

and how humans contributing to itsdemise, many people are settinggoals to participate in a sustainablelifestyle that incorporates a series ofgreen goals for the upcoming year.

It’s not just the oil spills or rain-forest depletion that’s raising con-cerns for the environment. Eventhings like the roads we drive on canprove harmful.

For example, according to aCarrying Capacity Network confer-ence held in Washington, D.C.,every year in the United Statesroughly 1.3 million acres of unpavedland is paved over. And what’s goingon those roads? Cars. There aremore than 250 million cars andtrucks in the United States, andCanadians are not far behindAmericans. According to the WorldResources Institute, Canada ranks asNo. 8 out of 178 nations in produc-tion of carbon emissions.

Although sometimes the envi-ronmental outlook can seem bleak,there are many small- and large-scale ways individuals can make adifference. For eco-conscious peo-

ple who want to start making a dif-ference, here’s a list of ideas to getstarted.

Raise chickens. There has been agreater interest among suburbanand urban residents in raising live-stock. Chickens make sense becausethey are not large and can be ahome-based food source, producingeggs or meat if desired. It’s possibleto get eggs from hens without arooster, and you may not need alarge amount of space to house yourbird. They can be kept in a smallcoop or allowed to roam free in ayard in a bird run. Check with yourcity or town to be sure it’s legal toraise chickens, then do your researchon the best breed and space needed

for where you live.Simplify beauty regimens. In

many cases, there’s no need to pur-chase costly beauty serums andwashes that may or may not containharmful chemicals. As it turns out,many things can be made at homefrom food sources. Dry skin can betreated with a blend of avocado andhoney. Cottage cheese can calm red-ness. There are those who are evenproponents of washing your facewith pure oil. Chances are even ifyou don’t resort to all homemadebeauty products you can signifi-cantly cut down on the number ofstore-bought items you use.

Look for personal hygiene alter-natives. Most people already knowabout switching from disposablediapers to cloth alternatives (almost30 billion disposable diapers areused and disposed of in the UnitedStates each year). But there are otherdisposable items that contribute topersonal waste. Instead of tradition-al female hygiene products, choosereusable cups or cloth items insteadof disposable pads and tampons.Some advocate the use of bidet-typetoilets to reduce dependency on toi-let paper.

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The easiest way toavoid health issuesthat arise from a

contaminated water sup-ply is to keep plenty ofbottled water on hand anduse as drinking water andwhen cooking. So long asthe bottled water has notbeen exposed to floodwaters, it will be safe todrink.

If an emergency strikesand you don’t have anybottled water at home,don’t panic. Boiling watercan help make the watersafe, killing most types ofdisease-causing organismsthat might be present. Boilwater for one minutebefore allowing it cool andthen store in containers forlater use.

In an emergency situa-tion, the water could verywell be cloudy. This is alsonot a cause for panic.Instead, filter the water

through clean cloths, likecoffee filters or just allowit to settle. When allowedto settle, chances are thecloudy water will clear upwithin minutes. Once itdoes, use the clear waterwhen boiling.

If there’s no means toboiling the water, you canuse household bleach as adisinfectant. Bleach iseffective at killing some,but not all, disease-caus-

ing organisms that mightbe in the water. If thewater is cloudy, filter itthrough clean cloths orallow it to settle beforeattempting to disinfect it.Once the water is clear, usethis clear water for disin-fection. When ready todisinfect the water, theEPA recommends adding1¼8 teaspoon (or roughlyeight drops) of regular,unscented liquid house-

hold bleach for each gallonof water. Do not use non-chlorine bleach to disin-fect water. Once added,stir the bleach and watermixture well, then let itstand for 30 minutesbefore use. Once disinfec-ted, store the water inclean containers with cov-ers. The treated watershould have a slight odorof chlorine. If it does not,repeat the process andallow the water to standfor an additional 15 min-utes. After this step, if thetreated water exhibits astrong odor of chlorine ortastes strongly of chlorine,allow the water to standexposed to the air for a fewhours or pour the waterfrom one clean containerto another several times.

For those who rely onwell water, in the case of aflood have the water testedand disinfected.

SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 2012 Page 5C

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All-natural ways to...The quickest fix to a

problem is not always thebest fix. Many conven-ience items are full ofchemicals that may not besafe for the environment.And although many med-ications may be ideal fortreating ailments, somepeople prefer a more natu-ral method to treat certainailments.

There are many all-natural items that can beput to use for personalcare and home care if youknow where to look. It isimportant to note thatsome supplements orherbs are not adviseablefor pregnant women orthose with certain condi-tions. Therefore it’s best tocheck with a doctor orpharmacist before begin-ning any regimen.… get rid of ants

Make a sweet solutionof sugar water and borax,also known as sodiumtetraborate. Borax is nottoxic, but it should not beingested, and it may causeminor skin irritation. Youcan also try substitutingwashing soda for theborax, which is sodiumcarbonate. The ants willfeed on the solution, takeit back to the colony, andeventually the numberswill dwindle.… reduce irritation from asting.

Apply a paste of bakingsoda and water to the stingand it will help reduce thepain and swelling. Thisalso may work on jellyfishstings and on other bugbites.… fall asleep more quickly

Passion flower isknown to produce mildsedative effects that canhelp induce sleep. Passionflower can be found intinctures, teas and cap-sules. In tea form it can bemixed with chamomile toimprove flavor and boosteven further relaxing.

… relieve nasal congestionA stuffy nose can make

sleeping difficult, con-tribute to a dry throatfrom mouth-breathingand just be a nuisance.There are many differentways to open up nasal pas-sages. Saline solutionsthat are sprayed or mistedinto the nose can loosenmucus and help it to drain.The same principal applieswhen using a neti pot.Eating spicy foods, such ashot peppers, wasabi or jerkseasonings, can also tem-porarily cause the nose torun and alleviate pressure.… remove grass stains

Using the wrong itemscan set in a grass stainquickly. Wet the stain withrubbing alcohol and letdry to dissolve some of thestain. Then wet the fabricwith water, pour detergentright on the stain andwash as usual.… clean up pet accidents

Pet urine can stain andsmell. Quick clean-up iskey, but use a product thatwill neutralize odor.Oxygen powder bleachdiluted in a bucket ofwater can be used as acarpet shampoo. It willclean up the stain andremove the odor.… remove a wart

Coat the skin aroundthe wart with petroleumjelly to protect it. Soak asmall piece of cotton inapple cider vinegar andplace it directly on the

How to disinfect your water

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SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2012Page 6C

Checking into our comfortable hotel is a heroic act indeed.When you choose us, you’re choosing a “green hotel,” which means we’ve taken important steps to help conserve our planet. From installing energy-efficient ligh�ng throughout the hotel to using low-flow shower heads, we’re going the extra mile to protect our environment.So thank you for being a superhero by staying with us.

Reduce - Reuse - Recycle• Replaced all T-12 fluorescent tubes with T-8• Replaced all incandescent light bulbs with compact

fluorescent lamps• Micro-fiber cleaning cloths• Energy-Star rated products• Linen re-use program• New bed sets are green

Our guests are savingthe planet.

Featuring eco-friendly products on our breakfast bar - plates, bowls, cups, & cutlery are biodegradeable or compostable & sourced from recycled or renewable content like corn, sugarcane, and recycled paper.

GEM System® Energy Management in each guest room, preven�ng unoccupied rooms from being over-heated or over-cooled.

Recycling Program for all office paper, newspaper, light bulbs, & plas�cs.

Upda�ng exterior ligh�ng from neon to more energy-efficient LED ligh�ng.

Mo�on sensors control lights in public restrooms & storage areas.

Recycling receptacles in public areas for guest use.

Guest rooms now feature low-flow toilets & showerheads.

Frequent team brain-storming sessions to find addi�onal ways to reduce, reuse & recycle.

Inquire about our eco-friendly mee�ng rooms!

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We are a 2011 Winner of the Choice Hotels Interna�onal APEX Eco-Excellence Award

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Comfort INN of Butte2777 Harrison Ave, Bu�e, MT 59701Phone: 406.494.8850 Fax: 406.494.2801www.comfor�nnbu�e.com Like us on Facebook!

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