Train to Coachella

Wanted to get this out as fast as possible...

For those of you lucky enough to go to Coachella this year, and you know who you are, consider taking the Coachella train out there instead of using your own gas. Granted, you have to have the 3 day pass and plan to stay all weekend becuase the train leaves thursday and returns Monday. We can bet there will be some shenanagins going down on that train ride. What happens on the Coachella train, stays on the Coachella train? maybe.

For more information and tickets, find them online at: Coachella Amtrak Ride.

For the rest of you not on the west coast, Coachella is a huge 3-day music festival in the desert. Kind of on the order of SXSW or Bonnaroo or Woodstock. Except this is in the desert where temps easily climb past 100 and theres realy no place to stay. So dehydrated hippies in the desert sleeping in tents and causing chaos and getting down. Really big acts show up each year, including this year's surprise guest: PRINCE!

Coming Soon: Eco-hangers

Here at Manic Organic, we're trying to do more than just provide fashion for the masses. We're trying to change the way you think and live. We're trying to inspire conscious consumerism. Soo, with that in mind, we will soon be featuring recyclable and biodegradable clothes hangers. We're starting small, we know. Clothes hangers aren't going to change the world. But consider a few facts about those wire/plastic clothes hangers that litter your closet:

- Most hangers are made of steel and petroleum - both of which are nonbiodegradable and are often made in sweatshops in China.

- Most hangers get thrown away, but you can check out a previous post about recycling hangers here: Recycling Plastic Hangers.

So look for these wheat and paper hangers and let us know what you think.

Event: American Solar Energy Society Conference, San Diego

This is one for the locals. The American Solar Energy Society will be hosting their annual conference this year in San Diego, May 4-8, 2008. Vendors, contractors and solar enthusiasts alike will all be out for the event. If you're in any way curious about how those funky panels work, check them out here at: ASES Solar 2008.

solar panel maintenance

Solar panels.
Big. Quiet. Effiecient.
Oftentimes they're hidden from view and as long as that green light on the inverter is illuminated, you don't really pay them any mind.

...that is...until you get your electricity bill and its in the black. NOOO! Well, there is something you can do. Obviously take inventory of any usage changes in your electricity consumption. But if there is nothing to report, then its time to get the hose out and clean off those panels. Just a little soap and water (nothing abrasive and nothing scratchy to scrub those panels) is all you really need. Some areas (particularly neighborhoods in the desert or near new construction) might need biweekly cleanings. other areas may never need to clean their panels if they get regular rain.

Either way, just like your car or your teeth, your solar panels need to be cleaned. Those solar panels are pretty self-sufficient and don't need anybody for anything, but there is something you can do for them that they can't do for themselves. Just clean behind the ears every now and then. It'll do you and them a world of good.

Dishwasher vs. Handwash?

Well, lets nip this one in the bud. A dishwasher is actually more efficient, according to a German Study. BUT this is true only if you ensure that the dishwasher is fully and correctly loaded. Handwashing is less efficient, in terms of water use. So go ahead and use that dishwasher, just make sure that its full and that you're using biodegradable dishwashing detergent without phosphates.

Bonus: you dont have to rinse those plates off before you put them in the dishwasher. shocker. but true. Most, if not all, dishwashers today are so efficient and "high-powered" that they dont need pre-rinsing because they are powerful enough to clean the plates. Unless you have some food that is hard-baked onto the plate/pan, then you might want to do some scratching ahead of time.