Television

Updated February 3, 2012

…and no, it’s not generally about network television for Da Guy these days. Expanded Cable/Satellite channels seem to be the way to go for the most part. Channels and programs in bold are Da Guy’s current favorites.

• ABC
  • Body of Proof
  • Castle
  • Modern Family
  • Wipeout
• Animal Planet
• Tanked
• Bravo
  • Inside the Actor’s Studio (not a lot of new episodes these days)
• BBC America
  • Doctor Who
  • The Graham Norton Show
  • Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares (the UK version)
• CBS
  • A Gifted Man
  • Anderson
  • The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
  • The Mentalist
• Discovery High Definition Theatre (DHD)
  • Dirty Jobs – who does not luv Mike?
• FOX
  • Kitchen Nightmares (the US version)
• The Food Network (FOOD)
  • Barefoot Contessa
  • Diners, Drive-In’s & Dives
• The History Channel
• American Pickers
• American Restoration
• Cajan Pawn Stars
• Pawn Stars
• Home & Gardens Television(HGTV)
  • Cash & Cari
  • Divine Design — Candice!
• My Lifetime
• Roseanne’s Nuts — no new episodes, but hopefully it’s picked up somewhere for another season!
• NBC
  • The Ellen DeGeneres Show
  • Harry’s Law
• National Geographic Wild (NGW)
• The Dog Whisperer
• Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN)
• Oprah’s Next Chapter
• Oprah Presents Master Class
• The Rosie Show
• Public Broadcasting System (KPBS in San Diego)
• America’s Test Kitchen from Cook’s Illustrated
• Antiques Roadshow
• California’s Gold Series with Huell Howser
• Australia with Huell Howser
• California Green
• California Missions
• California Water
• California’s Gold
• California’s Golden Coast
• California’s Golden Parks
• Downtown (Los Angeles) with Huell Howser
• Road Trip with Huell Howser
• Visiting… with Huell Howser
• Cooks Country from America’s Test Kitchen
• Wonderland — a local San Diego Show. Always wonderful.
• Science Channel
• Oddities — oh, so strange
• The Smithsonian Channel
• SyFy (formerly known as the SciFi Channel)
  • Doctor Who
  • Eureka
  • Haven
  • Hollywood Treasure
  • Warehouse 13
• The Travel Channel
  • Sand Masters
• Velocity
• Chasing Classic Cars
• Inside West Coast Customs
• Mecum Auto Auctions
• Motorweek
• One of a Kind
• Saw Dogs
• Wheeler Dealers

References

• Chronology of Television — by Ken Polsson
• – Da Guy’s preferred method for movie rental and streaming. Da Guy is known as WDW1Fanatic on the Netflix boards. Click here if you’re interested in becoming his Netflix friend and access his ratings of more than 2,700 movies.

Wax or Sealant? Carnauba or Advanced Chemistry?

As a kid, Da Guy can remember using Tide on his folk’s cars, lots of Turtle Wax and Armor All. When Da Guy ultimately got his own first ride, like most people in those days, he used local pharmacy and super store products to maintain his vehicle and thought that was pretty dang good. Why in the world did micro scratches keep increasing on his paint job, the inside of the windows fog within hours of his detail job, and the dash seem to collect so much dust? Uh huh, well, now he knows… Many years have gone by since those days. Times, dozens of products, experience, and yes, a full-time job with a steady income to afford better products changed a lot of things. When Da Guy bought his original Lexus SC300 Coupe back in ’95, one of da car jockeys at the dealership told him about Zymöl. He forked over a small fortune at the time for a starter kit, and the next morning was applying his first round of nothing but true quality products on his ride. Well, he was hooked on using da good stuff on his new toy and has never looked back at those run-of-the-mill products.

If you’re trying to make up your own mind on the complex “wax vs. sealant” debate, you should check out comparisons on the web such as Guru Reports, this FFCars.com article, or many other enthusiast forums out there. You’ll find lots of references to the latest generation of advanced car care products from dozens of companies, and a lot of passionate people supporting their products and techniques they call their own. Da Guy’s favorite system is Zaino Bros’ Show Car Polish. He became a convert in the late 90′s as this new chemical technology started to come into it’s own. For more than 10 years now, Da Guy has stripped the wax off his new rides the day they each arrived home, replacing dealer-applied wax with 3 layers of Zaino before his first cruise around town. It likely will be the same on all his future rides as well, as Da Guy likes it done his way these days.

If you’re a purist or just in to carnauba wax — Da Guy still considers Zymöl one of the best. It’s a lot of work that does not last as long as sealants, and you’re going to have sore arms, hands, and fingers, especially after that HD-clense when you do the work by hand, but the results are worth it for carnauba enthusiasts.  You’ll be amazed at the huge range in prices you can pay for quality caranuba.

You’ll also find if you research this topic enough, some like to add “warmth” to the Zaino and other sealants by applying a layer of their favorite carnauba on top of their polish regime. It won’t last as long as the Zaino, so you’ll get to do it again before not too long, but detailing is sort of an art and all about the look you enjoy. For Da Guy, he spritzs a bit of Z6 or Z8 (even better!) finish spray sealer over the Zaino Z2 on his ride, and wipes it off with a 100% cotton rag before those special excursions. It looks like a million to him!

Favorite Products — the ones Da Guy uses these days

Updated February 13, 2012

Da Guy has tried lots of products over more than 40 years taking care of his family’s, own, and friend’s rides. He seems to always be trying some little something new, but two product families have definitely become the foundation of his detailing arsenal, namely Zaino and Griot’s products. His selections are not always black and white decisions, but more like “shades of gray” in what product over time, with his experience, appears to generate the best result for his eye.  Balancing durability, ease of use, cost, and the resulting look is a challenge with the wide range of detailing products on the market today.  Da Guy remains open to trying and adjusting products and methods, as reviews and experience grows with new things that come onto the market — just like his switch from carnauba wax to polish many years ago. Here are the key products Da Guy is currently using to maintain his rides. Happy detailing!

Car Cover

• Covercraft Form-Fit is what Da Guy used to cover his coupe inside the garage — nice, soft, and subtle. Check out a photo of this in the Coupe Photo Album. There are a number of different types of covers available from Covercraft, so check out their site. Buy it from any number of retailers. AJ-USA has provided Da Guy with some great pricing in the past.

Dry

• California Water Blade. Da Guy knows what you’re thinking, but this really does a magnificent job quickly taking most of the water off after washing your car, leaving zero scratches with it’s surgical grade material, requiring only a touch up with 100% cotton towels at the end. He would never be without it. Finish with your favorite microfiber waffle weave towel, and you’re on your way.  The trick is, just be sure you wipe it clean and don’t run over dirty panels while you’re sweeping the water away.

Glass, Windows, & Windshields

• Aquapel. A super exterior windshield treatment by PPG Industries, lasting longer and not hazing like Rain-X. Find it online via eBay for best pricing. Buy multiples, as each applicator is for a single use and you’ll get a better price break.
• Covercraft UVS100 Heat Shield is da best for inside the front window when you park your ride outside in the hot, sweltering heat. Buy it from any number of retailers. AJ-USA provided Da Guy with some great pricing in the past.
• Duragloss Water Spot Remover #505 does just what it says. It won’t take off blemishes left too long that etched into your glass, but it’s worth a try before more drastic polishing is attempted.  Try putting quite a bit on a clean towel, let it sit on top of the spot for a while, and see if that helps break it down.
• Griot’s Garage
• Glass Clay is what Da Guy first uses to get ride of crud and water spots that won’t come off the windows
• When clay or Duragloss Water Spot Remover won’t do the trick, Fine Glass Polish is what Da Guy uses with water spots that won’t come off the windows. Try it by hand before resorting to machine, and be sure NOT to do it to any windows that have special manufacturer coatings on them (like many Lexus on the front driver and passenger side windows).
• P21S Windshield Wash Booster is added to the washer reservoir and makes a difference
• Stoner Invisible Glass does the very best job — even better than the Griot’s Window Cleaner and those that swear by ammonia and newspapers! Look hard and find the non-aersol version to help the environment online or at at your local WalMart or Target. Be sure to “shake it up” before you squirt the stuff and only use a proper microfiber towel that you keep dry to the touch, avoiding streaks.

Interior Car Scent

• Griot’s Garage New Car Scent is just like Da Guy want’s it, not some bubble-gum or fake tropical sorta stink

Leather

Two options are used in Da Guy’s arsenal.  Zaino products have been used for years and have worked well.  On very light colored leather, Da Guy is using Leather Masters products these days, as his research and feeling is their Leather Protection Cream does a really good job putting a layer of protection over the coating on semi-analine leather, such that if a stain (from new, dark, blue jeans) can be wiped off without too much trouble.

• Zaino Z9 Leather Soft Spray Cleaner works
• Zaino Z10 “Leather in a Bottle” Treatment and Conditioner is fantastic for your leather and oh, that smell!

or

• Leather Master Leather Cleaner (be sure to get the right kind based on type of leather you have)
• Leather Master Leather Protection Cream

License Plate Frames & Holders

• Gunther Gifts is where Da Guy has had his customized stainless license plate frames made for years.  Great quality and turn-around.
• Skene Design Low Profile Front License Plate Bracket is the perfect solution when you don’t want to drill holes in your front bumper

Paint & Polish

• CCS Red Wax/Sealant Applicator Pads are Da Guy’s preference these days.  He has had previous good experience with Blue Perl Microfiber Applicator pads, 100% cotton cloth (including the binding!) over foam pads work as well, such as the ones available from Zaino and many online retailers
• Duragloss Water Spot Remover #505 does just what it says. It won’t take off blemishes left too long that etched into your clear coat, but it will handle many of the nasty spots you can’t get off with a normal wash.
• Meguiars ScratchX does a good job as a last resort on those itty-bitty @#$(*@#$ blemishes when you wanna try to fix it up by hand and don’t want to pull out all the stuff for a multi-step buffing routine. Give it a go when you’ve tried everything else, including Zaino’s ZPC first. Remember to reapply your favorite polish afterwards to re-protect that paint job!
• Griot’s Garage Touch Up Paint Applicators — useful when you have to fix those blasted little dings and rock chips.  Da Guy never uses the brush that comes inside the touch up paint — these really help do a more precise job. Keep both sizes on hand.
• Porter Cable 7424 Variable Speed Random Orbital — when you want to buff out those problem areas, put on multiple coats of wax (heaven, forbid) or even Zaino polish in a single day and avoid those hand cramps, get a “PC”. Shop around for the best price.
  • Griot’s Machine Polish #1, 2 & 3 are Da Guy’s polish of choice when you need to remove those nasty scratches and swirls
  • Lake Country’s CCS Dual Action 6.5 inch Smart Pads™ Foam Pads– Da Guy makes greatest use of Orange and White.  He likes the foam lip on these pads that most others don’t have.
    • Snappy Clean Pad Cleaning Powder to keep those pads clean
  • Zaino ZPC Fusion is an ultra fine polish and what he uses for general swirl removal or as the final polish in his regime
  • Wonderin’ how to use that Random Orbital? Check out the Buffing with Confidence DVD from the guys that know their stuff over at Kleen Car Auto Appearance.  Another great video is Mike Phillips’ Principles of Machine Polishing DVD available from Autogeek.net.
• Zaino Bros’ Show Car Polish provides many of the key products in Da Guy’s normal regime for protecting his paint and ensuring a beautiful shine.  Check out his practical view of exterior Zaino application here.
  • Z2 PRO — Show Car Polish for Clear Coated Finishes
  • Z5 PRO Polish for Swirl Marks & Fine Scratches — wow, does a fabulous job on dark colors
  • Z6 Ultra Clean “Gloss Enhancer” Spray — use as part of the polish process as well as those in-between touch-ups
  • Z8 Grand Finale Spray Seal — the fancier version of Z6 when nothing but the best spit and polish touch-up is the thing!
  • Z18 Clay Bar
  • Diluted Zaino Z7 Car Wash (you may already have some!) or Dodo Juice Born Slippy in a spray bottle works great as a lube
  • Z-AIO All-in-One — a one-application-does-it-all product for those that don’t want to go through the effort of the Z2/Z5 layering like Da Guy does. Amazing results. Also works great on interior clear-coated wood trim.
  • Z-CS Clear Seal — a new “apply and let dry” seal (meaning, you don’t buff it off) for the top layer in your Z2/Z5 regime or on top of your Z-AIO application for a longer lasting polish — Super!
  • ZPC Fusion – Dual Action Paint Cleaner Swirl Remover — try it by hand for smaller problem areas, before you resort to something more extreme, or as the last set of polish if you’re being more aggressive with your PC Random Orbital
  • ZFX Flash Cure Accelerator Additive for Z2 PRO & Z5 PRO– A miracle. Almost no waiting for your polish to dry, even on colder or more humid days.
    

Plastic

• Solution Finish Black Plastic & Vinyl Restorer is a new polymer product that makes your black — black again — without silicon (like Black Wow), so it lasts much longer.  This is a high-end, expensive product, but a 1oz bottle should last a long, long time.
• Black Wow is an alternative Da Guy has also used for years, is a bit less expensive and a little more shiny in it’s finish, but does not tend to last as long as the newer Solution Finish product
• Zaino Z14 Plastic Magic Cleaner & Polish works to take out fine scratches and make your plastic lenses smooth once again

Rubber & Gaskets

• Griot’s Garage Vinyl & Rubber Dressing for helping to keep it aging gracefully, applied with a foam applicator

Sticky Stuff, Bugs, Tar and Other Things that Shouldn’t Be There

• 3M™ Adhesive Remover and Surface Cleaner does a super job when nothing else seems to do the trick
• Auto Glym Intensive Tar Remover works when nothing else does. The drawback is you get to re-polish the area you cleaned-up.
• Blue Painters Tape is what you should use to protect areas you don’t intend to touch when you’re going to do any machine polishing
• Griot’s Garage Interior Cleaner works great with Lint Free Towels to get smudges off plastic runner boards, floor mat spots, excess leather conditioner on plastic areas, and the like
• Wax Blaster Wax Remover does the trick when you get your polish in the dimples of your black bumpers and other exterior plastic areas. You really should have masked the area off with blue tape first, shouldn’t you have?

Tires

The jury is still out for Da Guy on this subject, as he has recently started to use Tuf Shine.

Tuf Shine

This is a new type of permanent dressing for tires, that Da Guy intends to use on his new Lexus 2012 RX450h.  Get the kit if you want to try it, as you’ll need both the Tire Cleaner for prep, as well as the Tire Clearcoat for occasional application.  Check out this terrific video for a how-to.

More Traditional Dressings

Da Guy has tended to switch between these two products every few months the last few years for some unknown reason.  There is a slightly different look to each, and it’s the type of product he uses when detailing his family and friend’s rides from time-to-time.  These wear off and require re-application to keep up the look.  If you are not careful, the Griot’s tends to sling a bit more than the Z-16, but both give good results.  Da Guy uses contoured foam applicators designed for tire dressing (such as Tire Swipes from Eagle One or any number of alternatives).

• Griot’s Garage Long Lasting Tire Dressing
• Zaino Z16 Perfect Tire Gloss

Tools

• Detail Brushs — For removing built-up polish from those places you should not have put it in the first place, and getting the dust out of your interior air vents. Different sizes and types for different purposes available from Griot’s Garage and Autogeek.net.

Towels

• Griot’s Garage Lint Free Towels — disposable, but they will leave a little “white stuff” on your black dash. Terrific for everything else including cleaning up your interior, under the hood or for chemical applications such as buffing off Aquapel — when it’s too messy to use a towel that can be thrown in the laundry with all the others.
• Griot’s Garage Microfiber and Foam Pad Cleaner or Detailer’s Pro Series Microfiber Cleaner  added into the wash cycle with your liquid laundry detergent and microfiber products every few loads (Da Guy does not use this in every single wash), will help remove the residual gunk and make your towels work as they did the very first time
• Microfiber products are the only way to go these days, but BE SURE you don’t have cheap bindings on the edges that will scratch. This is a big, BIG, deal. Many towels that claim to be “100% cotton” use polyester or synthetic threads on the edges — this WILL scratch your vehicle even though the towel itself won’t. Make sure whatever you buy has only silk or cotton on the edges, and if you can’t tell, don’t buy them. Also, look closely how any “made in xxx” tags are attached. If the tags are going to leave part of themselves in the binding, don’t buy ‘um, or RETURN THEM. If you can remove any tags completely, you’re good to go. Also, look for towels that are double sided (yes, some of the cheaper ones only have a usable mat on one side.) Da Guy has three sources you may want to try:
  • Classic Motoring Accessories Big Blue Towel — microfiber at it’s best. One of these waffle weave towels will do your whole ride except on those really cold and damp days when two will do ya.
  • PakShak — the best prices on microfiber of all types, and the distributor is in Hawaii of all places. Try their “waffle weave towel” — it’s the Big Blue Towel equivalent mentioned above
  • Zaino also has some newer “fluffy” microfiber towels that are simply excellent and the best for polish removal and Z-6/8 QD application, but carry a hefty price tag.  If you want THE BEST for these purposes, it’s what Da Guy is using these days.

Vacuum

• Metro Vac N Blow is a very powerful vacuum that will suck up all the dirt and junk inside your ride without the hassle of moving a larger shopvac around your detail area.  Having a dedicated vac is a great upgrade over using your Shop Vac or trying to remember to drag the vacuum from inside your home out to work on your car. There are different remarketed versions of this model out there. Shop around and find one with the attachments and accessories that are best for you.

Vinyl

• Griot’s Garage Vinyl & Rubber Dressing for helping to keep it aging gracefully, applied with a small foam applicator to keep things nice and tidy
• Zaino Z10 “Leather in a Bottle” Treatment and Conditioner works on your interior vinyl, isn’t greasy, and has a terrific smell to boot

Wash

• Dawn Dishwashing Liquid is what Da Guy uses when he wants to strip off any wax or sealents on the paint and start over with his paint protection regime.  Do NOT use this as your daily wash soap and suds!
• An alternative if you prefer a more specialized product and wonderful smell, is Chemical Guys Citrus Wash in a more concentrated form.  Do NOT use this as your daily wash soap and suds in a concentrated form.
• A Grit Guard is what you must have in your 5-gallon bucket. Two are even better to help reduce introduction of swirls and scratches as you wash your ride.
• Optimum No Rinse (ONR) works with a bucket and 2 gallons of water when you have water restrictions not allowing you to wash your ride in the driveway. Da Guy suggests you still go to a coin-op place if your ride is super dirty and you can’t wash around your own place, but this works for most of your other weekly washing rituals.
  • HINT: If you’re a Zaino kinda person like Da Guy, and you use ONR, be sure after you dry to wipe down with a normal application of Zaino Z6 or Z8 using a microfiber or white cotton rag to keep your Zaino look intact.
• Zaino Z7 Show Car Wash is da guy’s normal “soap” of choice when hand washing his ride.  Check out Da Guy’s practical view of exterior Zaino application here.

Wheels & Wheel Wells

• Detailer’s Pro Series Wheel Glaze — occasionally applied after a thorough cleaning and drying, when Da Guy wants to detail his wheels.  This product tends to work better than caranuba-based waxes which just don’t last.
• A no-brainer alternative if you don’t want to try a specialty product, but you already use a sealant on your paint, is to apply and use the same thing on your coated wheels, e.g. Zaino Z2 works just great on Da Guy’s Lexus wheels
• Griot’s Garage Under Carriage Spray — works like a dream on those SUVs where you have a lot of exposed wheel well area.  What a difference it makes!
• Griot’s Garage Wheel Cleaner — this spray is OK for the environment and makes cleaning coated wheels a simple job for all but the toughest dirt and caked-on brake dust
• Griot’s Garage Wheel Cleaner Clay is what Da Guy uses when the spray just won’t do the trick
• McGuard Wheel Locks — the only way to go. High quality, made in the USA, and what Da Guy has used on his rides for more than 20 years with unique key designs, chrome for most makes and even “black” versions to blend in with your other BMW OEM lug nuts.
• Lug Nuts — a couple of options to keep ‘um clean, depending on your needs
• Griot’s Garage Lug Nut Cleaning Brush is what Da Guy used on his BMW to get all that brake dust out of the crevices
• Recessed Wheel Lug Nut Brush from Autogeek.net has a replaceable foam scrubber and is what Da Guy uses on his Lexus
• Wheel Woolies — available as a 3-piece set from Autogeek.net are Da Guy’s latest favorite for cleaning his wheels and getting into any size crevice you need to deal with.  They are pricey, but work well.  Following are alternatives Da Guy has used and recommended in the past:
  
• Daytona Speed Master Wheel Brush from Autogeek.net worked well with Da Guy’s BMWs to get at that brake dust.  Unlike most others, these can be bent to help you reach areas you may not get to with other methods
  
• Griot’s Garage Wheel Scrubber Brushes — Reusable synthetic material on a handle that works great getting into most crevices with just enough abrasion to help get through those tough situations. In a package of 3.

Hints & Tips

Initial Detailing of 2009 BMW E93 335i Convertible

Yes, Da Guy is obsessive. As he’s done with each of his last 4 rides, within the first 24 hours of taking possession, he spent just over 10 hours to complete the following:

• Followed the Zaino “Classic Prep”steps
  • Dawn wash (wax removal)
  • Special attention to remove excess cosmoline or shipping goo
  • “Clayed” paint and headlights with Zaino Z18 and diluted Z7 in a spray bottle
• Removed dealer-applied wax where it shouldn’t have been using Wax Blaster Wax Remover
• “Blue Taped” everything (so he didn’t mess it up again!)
• Buffed-out paint/finish problem areas with a Porter Cable using Griot’s Machine Polish #2 & 3
• Followed the Zaino “Classic Basic Process”Z5/Z2 Application
  • Two layers of Z5, one final of Z2, a spray-down of Z6 between each, followed by Z-CS
• Removed remaining window stickers and “gooey” stuff inside and out of the car
• All gaskets and rubber treated with Griot’s Vinyl & Rubber Dressing
• Windows cleaned inside and out with Stoner’s Invisible Glass
• Aquapel application to front and rear windshields
• Vacuumed inside and out
• All interior leather and synthetic material had an initial “feed” with Zaino Z10
  • Final clean-up with Griot’s Interior Cleaner to remove leather conditioner from areas where Da Guy was a little over zealous
• Wheel Wax applied to the rims

…and there was another “feed” of leather conditioner the next day, and yet another on the next!

References

Check out Da Guys’ Favorite Products he uses to maintain his ride or these places if you’re just lookin’ around!

Miscellaneous

• The Art of Detailing by Mike Phillips at Autogeek.net.  The hardcopy or online version of this book does a great job explaining most detailing techniques and is a good way for you to get started on that knowledge.
• Autopia Carport Forums — All the in-da-know guys hang out here.  You know da kine.
  • Autopia’s Free Car Detailing Guides
  • Paint Repair & Touchups — Super “how to do it” write-up by DavidB
• Concurs d’ Elegance of the Eastern United States
• Da Guy’s Zaino Process — Here’s how Da Guy uses the products from start to finish
• Detailing Wiki — Great info organized by problem and solution
• How to Wash Your Car — A super detailed video for the real perfectionist — even more so than Da Guy is!
• Pebble Beach Concurs d’ Elegance
• Zaino Bros’ Show Car Polish Home Page
• Zymöl.com Home Page

Shopping

…and there is more in the Shopping Section of this post

Gldnmeadows Golden Belle, aka “Belle”

A beautiful purebred AKA-registered “English Cream” Golden Retriever pup from championship European lines joined Da Guy’s family in the Fall of 2009. Born March 12, 2009, Belle comes from a pair of friendly Southern California parents: Jasper — an English Cream that immigrated to America from Slovakia as a puppy himself, and Faline — a Golden Retriever of American descent.

In Britain and other parts of Europe, the lightest Golden Retrievers have been bred into what is known as an “English Cream”. While the American Kennel Club may not (yet) accept this color as part of their AKC Breed Standard, The Kennel Club (of the UK) has since 1936. How progressive is that for the Brits? Such international controversy! A few American breeders cross an English Cream with American lines to further improve health and temperament.

Belle’s coat is English Cream in color with small natural amounts of light golden highlights on her ears, back, and tail. At 8 months, her feathering is just beginning to grow in, but her wiggle-wiggle tail is already as strong as a whip. Stunning black features set off this girl’s good looks. Belle is a lean and strong 42 pound little lady that is AVID microchiped and spade, who lives to sniff, play, and have people pay attention until she drops. A real sweetheart that is affectionate, smart, eager to please, and definitely Da Guy’s little girl.

More Belle Things:

• Belle’s Flickr Photo Gallery
• Belle: Food & Treats
• Belle: Snippets – the First 6 Months

What is this Environment Stuff all about?

Even in his youth, waste in any form was not common place and respect for the Earth was something he learned through his outdoor experiences with the family and Boy Scouts. Simple things like not dropping trash on the ground and leaving a camp site just a little better than you found it was just the way he was brought up. Today, maybe it’s his many years living in Hawaii and California where “Going Green” is more prevalent than perhaps some other places, or it could be that Da Guy has just finally become a little more focused on trying to do more of the right things for our environment as he’s getting older. Just as Da Guy would recommend to anyone, he’s tries to do a little bit more, each and every year.

While Da Guy is far from perfect, probably has some “not so green” things in his closets, and would not consider himself an environmental fanatic or even a role model protecting our planet, the number of positive choices he tries to make appears to keep growing. The little things do add up, and it feels good when you know you’ve made a better decision for whatever it is PLUS supporting the environment, even sometimes when it does cost a few pennies more for the greater good. It’s difficult to individually quantify the benefits, but since completing the 5-month remodeling of the interior and exterior of his San Diego home that began immediately after purchasing it in the Fall of 2007, compared to the previous owner, he’s achieved:

• Nearly 60% reduction in water usage
• Approximately 30% gas and electricity utility bill reduction

That alone is something that will have compounded benefits into the future. There is always more that each of us can do or improve upon when it comes to taking care of Planet Earth. Take a look at some of the examples Da Guy tries to live up to and are in use at the real Bert’s Place. You may find something you can do to help future generations as well.

Examples in Use at the Real Bert’s Place

Individually it seems trivial. Together, it will make a difference.

• Appliances — Energy Star products
  • GE Profile Refrigerator
• Automobiles
• All-electric vehicles didn’t quite work out (except for golf carts!) despite those plug-in parking stalls at Costco that never seem to have a vehicle in them. Hybrids are here today but require battery replacements after some number of years — they won’t keep going no matter how well you take care of your investment. Technology keeps evolving, especially now as gas prices are soaring beyond the ridiculous and demand for greener solutions are being chosen by more and more people with their hard earned cash. In the meantime, Da Guy has a Lexus RX400h SUV that was one of the first performance hybrids in the industry.
• Cleaning
  • Environmentally friendly car cleaning products, such as Griot’s Wheel Cleaner
• Seventh Generation green cleaning products
• Disposable Cups, Plates & Utensils
  • Compostable cold cups, plates and utensils when you need more than you have for your daily purposes, or breakable and weighty ceramic just won’t work
  • Really strong and long lasting paper drinking straws from Aardvark. They are used at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
• Donateusable old clothes, appliances, books and more, and help reduce what’s going into our landfills
  • Goodwill Industries is one of Da Guy’s favorites
• Hazardous Materials- Dispose of it properly, including
  • Batteries
  • Cell Phones
  • Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) which have trace amounts of mercury & Fluorescent Bulbs
  • Old Electronic Gadgets, Personal Computers & Printers
  • Old Paint
  • Old Pesticides and other chemicals
• Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
  • Attic Breeze — Awesome solar powered attic and exhaust fans with a lifetime warranty. Da Guy has one in his attic and another to keep his garage more temperate throughout the year.
  • Air Conditioning — Da Guy’s York Air Conditioner is one of the most efficient available for your home today, which had a number of local utility rebates available
  • Ceiling Fans– They sure beat running your air conditioner when it’s just a bit stuffy inside, and works well moving the heat from your ceiling back down to where you are during the winter. Da Guy has them in all bedrooms, his office and family room so that thermostat can be a little lower in the winter and higher in the summer.
    • Panasonic WhisperCeiling Fans– amazingly quiet and powerful for your bathrooms and laundry
      • Check out a nifty electronic timer by Intermatic that Da Guy uses in his master bathroom to ensure he does not forget to turn off that nearly silent ventilation fan
  • Additional GreenFiber cellulose insulation blown in over his original and inadequate 30-year old R-11 attic batting, bringing him to nearly an R-40 insulation value today. It was the smart environmental and fast financial pay-back thing to do. Check out what a R-value means here.
  • Heating — Da Guy’s York Furnace was perhaps the most efficient available on the market when he made his selection in 2007
  • Programmable Thermostat — the only way to go. Run your furnace and air conditioning only on the days and times you really need it. Da Guy especially likes ones with a “vacation mode” to hold the temperature while he’s away on trips, to then have it ready-to-live-in again upon his return, such as the Honeywell VisionPro he has at his place.
• Landscaping
  • Conserve water with Xeriscape and more drought-tolerant plants, reducing or eliminating your lawn area, and installing improved irrigation systems that target the specific areas needing water
    • Da Guy reduced his lawn area by more than 30% at the all-new Bert’s Place
    • Da Guy’s Irritrol Controller has separate zones to put just the needed amount of water where and when it’s needed, along with a Toro Wireless Rain Sensor to prevent useless watering when it has recently rained
    • Each plant and tree has it’s own emitter for precise water needs using Rain Bird Drip Irrigation components
  • Reduced use of pesticides and fertilizers are limited to those that are more environmentally friendly
  • An environmentally friendly Newton battery lawn mower resides in Da Guy’s storage unit, if and when he does his own mowing one day
• Lighting– 100% of the light bulbs at Bert’s Place were replaced with more energy efficient models and dimmers to help reduce energy usage
  • Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) are the bulb of choice in the majority of fixtures both inside and outside of Bert’s Place
  • If it exists, BuyLighting.com probably has the bulb you are looking for
  • Check out a nifty electronic timer by Intermatic that Da Guy uses in his master bathroom to ensure he does not forget to turn off the light and nearly silent ventilation fan after he showers
  • Motion-sensitive LED night lights that cost only pennies to run per month — available at Lowes and Home Depot
• Paint
  • Low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) paint inside and out of Bert’s Place from Dunn Edwards Paints
• Paper Products
  • Use washable rags whenever possible and limit paper towel usage. Paper towels and TP at Bert’s Place are made from 100% recyclable materials (not from trees) with a minimum of 80% post consumer content and no chlorine bleach, such as Earth First from Royal Paper available at Costco
• Pets
  • Besides the health and public decency reasons to take care of your pet’s waste, you can manage it in a biodegradable way with the product at PoopBags.com
• Recycle
  • Check with your City or County on the programs available where you are. Da Guy does his weekly recycling curbside with
    • Cardboard
    • Glass bottles & jars
    • Metal including aluminum cans
    • Paper — all types, including magazines and the junk mail that still gets through despite his best efforts
    • Plastic bottles and the like
    • Yard Waste for composting
• Reusable Shopping Bags
  • It’s amazing how much oil and downstream impact the billions of plastic shopping bags created every year have on our world. Don’t accept a plastic bag for things you can just carry away with you, or when you’re just going to toss it out anyway. Check out Reuseit.com. Da Guy and his family just love the ACME Bags™ – Recycled PET EarthTote™. Keep them in your vehicle for everyday use, so there is never an excuse that you forgot them at home.
• Roofing
  • Energy conscious Cedarlite concrete tile roofing with integrated attic ventilation by MoniereLifetile
• Sinks & Toilets
  • Low-flow toilets from Kohler
  • You keep your water regulators in all your faucets and shower heads for reduced flow like Da Guy does, don’t you? It’s not THAT bad!
• Smoking
  • Da Guy never has and never will. He always selects non-smoking areas in restaurants and hotel rooms, and avoids second-hand smoke environments whenever he can.
  • AboutMyPlanet has one point of view of how smoking impacts our environment
  • Smokefree.gov has a bunch of evidence-based info how to stop
• Disposable Trash Bags
• The flimsy Scandinavian ones from Norway are really flimsy.  Da Guy has given up on them
• Da Guys is presently using the versions made by Reusit.com in Chicago, USA.  They are tough, come in a roll, and are available in big lawn and a convenient kitchen size.
• Windows
• Da Guy’s home has double-pane energy efficient windows
• 100% of Da Guy’s windows are tinted with Bekaert Panorama Window Film, further reducing heat transmission while providing all-important UV protection
• All of Da Guy’s Hunter Douglas Blinds, Silhouette and Luminette window coverings provide yet a third set of heat transmission and UV reduction

References

References for products that Da Guy uses in his everyday life are contained on the In Practice Today Tab. Here are some other places to help you along your journey to reduce our environmental impact.

• BeWaterWise — it’s for Southern California residents, but the tips are useful to anyone
• Ed Begley Jr. — You’ve seen his show Living with Ed, haven’t you?
  • Begley’s Best cleaning products
• Birch Aquarium at Scripps — one of Da Guy’s favorite charitable organizations that does a fabulous job educating the public and school children each and every day
• Disney’s Environmentality — it’s more than a corporate policy, it’s in action throughout the company and their theme parks
• Earth 911 — a super site on everything about the environment, recycling, and more
• Energy Star — find out all about it
• US Environment Protection Agency (EPA)
• FixingthePlanet.com — tips on the little things we can each do to make a difference
• Al Gore and his environmental movement
• The Green Channel (GRN) — on your cable television channel
• Terrapass — calculate your carbon footprint and offset it’s impact

Processing Power

What does Da Guy have?

Apple iMac 27″ (mid-year 2010 version)

• 2.93 GHz Intel Core i7 (Quad Core)
• 8GB 1333 MHz Memory

Accessories

• Apple Battery Charger
• Apple Magic Mouse
• Apple Magic TrackPad

References

Here are some of the places Da Guy has used, uses today, or has investigated somewhere along the line in his pursuit of Apple computing.

• Apple Computer
• Bare Feats — independent Apple performance information
• Da Guy’s Home Computing Peripherals
• MacMost — a super site with hundreds of practical how-to videos and more.  Use it and subscribe to Gary’s very useful and timely information.