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  CLEAN & GREEN: SOME GREAT IDEAS FOR THE HOME! Excellent nontoxic alternatives exist for those harsh chemical cleaners and many of them are already sitting on your kitchen shelf. Baking soda works well for cleaning glassware, especially coffee pots, and removes red wine stains from carpeting. A baking soda and water paste removes tea stains from ceramics and polishes silver and stainless steel. Use coarse salt to scour copper pots and other cookware. It will also help clean up fresh spills in the oven. Lemon juice removes grease from stove tops and other kitchen surfaces. Olive oil (3 to 1 with vinegar or 2 to 1 with lemon juice) makes a great wood furniture polish. Air Freshener: 4 oz. distilled water, 2 oz. rubbing alcohol, 30 drops of essential oil of choice (can blend fragrances. For example, 15 drops of orange and 15 drops of clove can be combined for a winter holiday air freshener) Combine in a carefully labeled spray bottle and enjoy! Carpet Freshener: In a container with a tight-fitting lid, combine 1 cup crushed dried herbs (such as lavender or rosemary) with 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 2 teaspoons baking soda. Shake well to blend. Sprinkle the mixture on carpet and let sit for one hour. Vacuum. Copper Cleaner: With a rag or sponge, coat dirty copper with an even layer of ketchup. Allow ketchup to penetrate the tarnished metal for approximately 20 minutes. Rinse with warm or hot water and buff to a shine. Disinfectant Heavy-Duty: Combine 1/4 cup powdered laundry detergent, 1-tablespoon borax, 3/4 cup hot water and 1/4 pine oil. Slowly stir the detergent and borax into the water to dissolve. Add the pine oil (available at hardware stores and supermarkets) and mix well. For bathrooms, use the mixture full strength. For kitchens, dilute with water. Drain Clearing Agent: Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda in and around the drain opening. Follow with 1 cup of white vinegar. Repeat if necessary and flush with hot water. Glass Cleaner: Combine 1/4 cup vinegar and one quart of water. Plain club soda also works! Grease Stain Remover: Cover stain with a mixture of borax and water. Rub in and wipe off. Rinse well after applying stain remover. Kitchen Disposal Freshener: Just drop in a few lemon wedges and flip the switch. Laundry Bleach: The only ingredients are 1/4 cup of lemon juice and some sunshine! Use the lemon juice in the washing machine's rinse cycle. After clothes have spun, hang in the sun to dry. Multipurpose cleaner: Combine 1-teaspoon borax, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon dishwashing liquid, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 2 cups hot water. Mold Remover: Saturate a sponge with full-strength vinegar and scrub the moldy area. Rinse well. Oven Cleaner: Make a paste of equal parts salt, baking soda and water. First, wipe away any grease and scratch off burnt spots with a scouring brush or steel wool. Finally, apply the paste, let stand five minutes and wipe clean with a damp rug. Scrub if necessary. Do not allow baking soda to touch heating elements or wiring. Rust remover: Sprinkle salt on the rust and then squeeze a lime over the salt until it is soaked in juice. Let the mixture sit for up to three hours. The leftover lime rind can be used as a handy scrubber to remove the rust. Another option is to rub the rust with balled-up aluminum foil after wetting it with water. Use caution as aluminum foil will scratch chrome. Silver Cleaner: Rub the silver with toothpaste; wipe off tarnish and then rinse. Dry with a soft cloth. Tile floor cleaners: Mop floor with solution of 1 to 2 teaspoons of liquid dish soap dissolved in 3 gallons of warm water. Rinse with 1 cup of white vinegar in 3 gallons of cool water. Toilet bowl cleaner: Combine 1-cup borax with 1/4 cup vinegar or lemon juice to make a paste. Apply it to the inside of the toilet bowl and let it sit for one to two hours before scrubbing. Wall and wallpaper cleaner: Dissolve 1/4 cup borax in 1-gallon hot water. Stir to blend. Use a sponge or rag. Window Cleaner: Mix 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water. Add 5 drops lemon oil or, if you like suds, 5 drops favorite all-natural dishwashing liquid. Use to wash windows, other glass or mirrors. This mixture can also be kept in a covered container with a rag submerged in the liquid. For damp dusting, simply wring the rag out and wipe surfaces clean. Wood floor polish: Mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup vegetable oil. Rub on floor and buff with a clean, dry cloth. Information Resource: Whole Foods http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/issues/greenaction/clean.html NOTE: Whole Foods is a supporter of the Friends of the Dove 10K VOLUNTEER FEATURE Diane & Joe Szwajkowski Every year Peace Valley Nature Center hosts a special event called "the Friends of the Dove 10K Run and Two Mile Health Walk." This event is a fundraiser for our environmental education programs. Behind the scenes at this event is an energetic young couple who are critical to the event's success, Diane and Joe Szwajkowski. On race day, Diane can be seen running to and fro around the registration tables helping volunteers and then darting to the food tent to see what's needed there. Joe is busy running race applications to the timer on his bike, notifying others of his presence with his amusing duck horn! After the race they pass out the awards and help in the clean up effort. They never seem to stop! Days after the race is finished, they start preparing for next year's race; making signs, contacting food donors, finding sponsors, attending race committee meetings, dreaming up new ideas.there is so much to do! As busy as they are, Diane and Joe are always cheerful and upbeat and approach their volunteer task with humor and a sense of fun! The 10K race isn't all they have done for PVNC. A year and a half ago, Di and Joe volunteered to help build a new bridge across the Hardiaken Creek to replace an older one damaged by floodwaters. Joe, a carpenter by trade, led the effort and with the help of friends and volunteers finished it in time for our clean stream program! Long before Diane met Joe (they celebrated their second anniversary this May!) Diane had served as a board member of the Friends of PVNC. She liked being on the board, but her real love was being a teacher/naturalist at PVNC. One of her favorite programs was one she created and taught called "Trash to Treasures" where children used recycled materials for their creations. The children loved it as her enthusiasm and creativity were infectious! Thank you for years of hard work and dedication Diane and Joe. We could not do the race without you! Keep on running! LAKE GALENA Lake Galena is the center of attraction for the 1,500 acre Peace Valley Park. Thousands of visitors enjoy the beauty and serenity of this lake. This 365 acre surface area man-made reservoir was created in 1974 to supply drinking water, provide flood control and recreation. The name is derived from the village of New Galena that was once the lead capital of the east. The galena mines (a lead ore) were mined in this area by native Americans. The re-discovery of this ore by local inhabitants reached a fervor in the 1860s and continued to the mid 1920s. The lure was so enticing it attracted "big syndicate" money from New York (Mary Ellen Bornak, Intelligencer, 11, May 1980). The dreams of great fortunes never materialized, and these mines now lie permanently sealed beneath the waters of Lake Galena. Ongoing extensive testing by the Department of Environmental Resources reveals absolutely no lead content in the water. The source of water for Lake Galena is the North Branch Neshaminy Creek. "It originates as a small stream near Route 413 in Central Bucks County. The creek then flows into Lake Galena, which is the reservoir for Forest Park Water. Water released from Lake Galena flows down the Neshaminy Creek to where it is drawn into the Forest Park Water Treatment Plant, in Chalfont, Pennsylvania. In the summer months and times of low flow, water is pumped from the Delaware River at Point Pleasant and diverted into the North Branch Neshaminy Creek near Gardenville, Pennsylvania. This diversion controls the level of Lake Galena for recreational purposes, ensures a sufficient drinking water supply, and maintains base flow in the stream." (http://northpennwater.org/our_water/about_your_water/index.htm). "The North Branch of the Neshaminy Creek is one of Buck's County's most valued waterways. It is the headwaters of Bucks County's largest watershed (236 square miles) and it provides water to over 1 million homes each day." (Gretchen Schatschnieder, Watershed Specialist, Bucks County Conservation District). Many visitors notice the seasonally changing water levels. Minimum levels are required throughout the year. The recreation period of Memorial Day through Labor Day requires 320.7 ft. elevation (measurements are taken at the outtake area of the dam). The extended recreation period through Oct. 31 requires 319.5 ft. elevation. The downstream flow is also monitored for minimum requirements. This ensures enough water for recreation and household water needs. The level is lowest November through January and is then gradually increased to minimum levels for the recreation period. Lake Galena hosts and attracts many species. Fishermen, paddlers and windsurfers enjoy the lake. Winged critters flock here for food, rest and sometimes to raise their young. Peace Valley Park is designated an Important Bird Area by the Audubon Society, with more than 275 species of birds sighted here within the last 40 years. Snakes, turtles, salamanders are some the many different herptiles (reptile and amphibians) that reside here. Many species of fish dwell beneath the waters of Lake Galena. Fishing is permitted beyond the buoys, heading toward the dam. TULIP TREE (Liriodendron tulipifera) Native to eastern North America, China and Vietnam and belonging to the Magnoliaceae family the Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) is a species that almost became another Pennsylvanian icon. Known as the king of the Magnolias and to some as the Canoewood or Saddleleaf tree with the Onondaga tribe calling it Ko-yen-ta-ka-ah-tas (Whitewood tree), the Tulip tree is the deciduous species that in 1927 a group of individuals from Pennsylvania State College (PSU) thought appropriate to be recognized as the official state tree and flower. The Pennsylvania General Assembly was sent legislation of prepared arguments with one referring to the unusual lobe shape of the leaves resembling that of a keystone and therefore a fitting emblem for the Keystone State. Unfortunately, no action was taken. The Eastern Hemlock later became the state tree and the Mountain Laurel the state flower. The common name, Tulip tree, is given due to the form of the flower that hangs from its branches. The scientific name Liriodendron is Greek for lily tree with tulipifera meaning to bear tulips. The tulip-like blossoms bloom in late spring to early summer and appear only after the tree is at least 20 years of age. This makes for difficult viewing far above our heads but on that occasional windy day, when a flower can be found, one will see its diameter to be about 3-10 cm with nine tepals (three outer sepals and six inner petals). The petals are yellow-green in color with a vivid orange at their base and when drinking in the flower's fragrance one might think they were holding a cucumber. The flower clusters are similar to magnolia and while the honeybees are busy seeking out their nectar (pollination is only possible 24 hours after the flower opens), the tiger swallowtail butterflies use the tree's leaves for their egg laying. When viewing the fruit that the Tulip tree bares, one will notice a collection of samaras that are about 4-9 cm long, each having a tetrahedral seed with one edge attached to the central conical spike and the other edge attached to the wing. The seeds provide a great food supply for squirrels, rabbits, mice, beaver, whitetail deer, and a variety of birds. Resilient to pests and tree diseases, the Tulip tree grows rather rapidly in rich moist soils of temperate climates with heights reaching 50 feet within 11 years. It is the tallest of the eastern hardwoods and can continue growing up to 200 feet. However, there are disadvantages to being the tallest - lightning. Not only a food supplier to a variety of animals and a great home for hibernators, the Tulip tree's wood makes for great cabinets and furniture due to the woods stability and fine grain. Eastern Native American Indians labeled the tree "canoe wood" for canoes were dug out from the 50 foot straight trunks. It has also been said they used the wood as a tint for inflammation and infection and in the 1800s Americans used it to treat for worms, jaundice, fever, bruises, and swelling. Mary Donofrio, 2007 Summer Intern, Junior Oregon State University, Environmental Science GAIL HILL RECIPIENT OF CONSERVATION AWARD Gail Hill, PVNC's Director of Education, has been selected as the Conservation Individual of the Year by the Bucks County Conservation District! The Conservation District chose Gail for the award because of her work with the Career Academy. Gail started the Career Academy ten years ago in partnership with the Central Bucks School District. The program is for high school students. The students study ecosystems, wetlands, water quality, water conservation and a host of other subjects. Gail teaches many of the classes, but also coordinates speakers from the community. The program has been an important part of the Central Bucks curriculum due to the hands-on learning it encourages. Rosemarie Montgomery, the District's Partnership Coordinator said ,"Gail embodies every quality that is associated with this award." On Wednesday, June 20th, Gail received a plaque and a commendation from the Bucks County Commissioners at the monthly Commissioners meeting. Congratulations Gail on a job well done! Click [HERE] to view back issues of our newsletter. |
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