Sage and Sassy

The air inside our homes is far dirtier than the air outside, according to experts. Why is this? Most likely because of the products we choose to sprinkle, spray and shake around our dishes, furniture, appliances and laundry.

In order to protect the health of our loved ones who breathe indoor air as well as the long term health of our planet, here are 5 quick tips anyone can implement to make their home healthier and less toxic.

1) Start with laundry - According to Malcolm Rands, founder of EcoStore, switching to a safer, natural laundry detergent or soap is probably the most important first change to make to green your home. Why? Because most of us wear clothes 24 hours a day. Much of what our skin rubs up against will end up in our blood stream. Find biodegradable detergents with plant based ingredients. These are available online and in major health food stores.

2) Clean green - If you do a little digging, you can find recipes that utilize such basic ingredients as vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda and olive oil for most of your cleaning projects. Not the type to make your own? That’s fine. There are many effective non-toxic cleaning products on the market. If you wouldn’t drink it, you shouldn’t use it for cleaning.

3) Pest smart - One of the most toxic offenders are pesticides. Pesticides are linked with a variety of health problems including fertility issues, breathing difficulties, leukemia and other cancers. You can purchase products (such as boric acid) that are safer for use in your home and are quite effective against pets. Some herbs and spices also repel various creepy crawlies.

4) New? Not - Obtaining most of your furnishings used can go a long way towards keeping formaldehyde and other toxins from offgassing into your home. Not only will you save money, you’ll also keep great stuff from hitting the landfill. Check out ebay and craigslist next time you need a piece of furniture.

5) When In Doubt, Air it Out - While sealing up your home may make it more energy efficient, it also has the effect of trapping in pollutants. Make it a point to open doors and windows whenever possible. Spend some time outdoors every day. Avoid the use of “air fresheners” and even scented candles since they are full of known toxins. Airing out your home and using items like baking soda, lemons, essential oils properly diluted, and herbs and spices will clean your air safely.

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A12-piece set of Cuisinart Green Gourmet Hard Anodized Cookware. They are energy-efficient and eco-friendly with Cermica nonstick surfaces that reduces your carbon footprint and with the nonstick coating also allows for easy food release and the ability to use less fat and oils while cooking.

Review: As a family that buys a lot of organic and healthy foods for higher price tags than most I have always been really alarmed to know that conventional non-stick cookware can be dangerous and even toxic to use. The Teflon is the non-stick cookware off-gasses and can easily be scratched off and end up being eaten by your family. Eating Teflon and breathing in dangerous chemicals when cooking over high heat did not appeal to me in the least so I have avoided the convenience of non-stick cookware for years.

That has all changed though with the release of some new greener and cleaner cookware lines including the Cuisinart Green Gourmet set. It is made with petroleum-free Cermica and this new technology creates a non-stick surface that works just as well as Teflon but without the safety issues. I am finally getting to use non-stick pots and pans again and it feels great. The food flakes right off after cooking with them, making clean up time a snap. You don’t need to use grease and oil on the pans to avoid the “stick” issues so food cooked on these is healthier too. After years of making eggs in bacon grease I am happy to say that all there is in our scrambled eggs now is eggs! The Green Gourmet line is also a very nice looking set of pots and pans. I am recommending them to all my friends.
Where to Buy: Amazon.com

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I mentioned not long ago how I took my kids to see the Disney movie Wall-E. Not only did my kids love it, I loved it, and my mother loved. It was just a great feel good movie for everyone and I swear I almost cried a couple times…no it wasn’t sad…just really, really sweet.

The best part about the movie though is the strong environmental theme. I have a green family and we try to maintain a green household but I try not to do too much lecturing on green issues because I don’t want them to feel resentful. This movie makes the eco theme very fun and enjoyable and really puts things in simple terms so kids understand the urgency.

The basic story is that Wall-E, an adorable little robot that is left on planet earth alone while humans have abandoned the planet after it can no longer sustain life. Wall-E collects little knick-knacks as mementos and spends his days compacting garbage and making skyscraper tall stacks with them. One day a spaceship drops off another robot named Eva and her directive is to find evidence that the planet can sustain life again. In the event that she finds this evidence she must report back to the humans who are know living in space on a space cruise ship of sorts.

So can Eva find any evidence that earth can be inhabited again? How did it get this way in the first place? Can Wall-E and Eva bring humans back to earth and help them take care of their planet this time? I hope you’ll watch the movie and find out.

Wall-E is being released just in time for Christmas. Preorder your copy now!

See also: Hot Wall-E Toys | Wall-E Site |  Buy DVD  |  Buy Blu Ray  | DVD Giveaway

This is a paid review from Blogher.

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I used to work in marketing and advertising and we printed a TON. We printed brochures, fliers, newsletters, direct mail, and all that jazz. Then of course we ordered out for some printing jobs too…like stationary and business cards. I used to go through 200 business cards a week sometimes. It amazes me know wasteful it all was. We had office challenges to find ways to cut spending but no challenges to green our office…I should email them and see if things have changed, LOL.

Nowadays there are green printing companies you can patronize for business cards, fliers, brochure printing, etc. I don’t have a need for any of that anymore but if I did I am so happy there are options. I would be sitting my old boss down and telling her we needed to go green with our printing and I’d be talking about how we could market this to attract conscious clientele and offset costs.

PSPrint is an environmentally conscious printing company that prints business cards, custom stickers, custom postcards, custom greeting cards, posters and more. They recycle all wasted paper and used soy based ink that emit fewer volatile organic compounds than petroleum inks. They are also involved with or members of several eco-friendly organizations. Now if only we could get more businesses on board with this!

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You can have the greenest kitchen in the world, but it will not make a jot of difference if you do not behave in a green way once you are in it. In fact, the way in which you use your kitchen on an everyday basis could probably have more of an impact on the environment than all the cabinets, appliances, pots and pans put together.

Try carrying out these suggestions and you will be well on your way to green living in the kitchen.

 

Saving water

 

If you do nothing else make an effort to save water:

 

• Fix dripping taps (faucets) immediately. Around 4 litres (7 pints) of water can disappear down your drains this way every hour or so, and 90 litres (20 gallons) of water if the drips start to form a stream.

 

• Fill the kettle with the correct amount of water needed for your cup of tea, thereby saving water and energy; and de-scale the kettle regularly - it will be more efficient.

 

• Don’t leave taps (faucets) running when you are washing and rinsing dishes – running the tap (faucet) can use 10-14 litres (2-3 gallons) of water a minute (enough for a small bath in just five minutes) and washing a mug under a running tap uses about 1 litre (2 pints) of water; six mugs the same as a bowl of washing up.

 

• Save water leftover from washing the dishes or fitting a new water filter - it can be used for watering the plants or flushing the toilet.

 

Most of our drinking water comes from rainfall, but on its way into our pipes it can pick up whatever pollution exists in the air and on the land. At the same time, it is dubious whether expensive bottled water is any better for us than water from the tap (faucet), due to the toxins absorbed from the plastic. There have also been some worrying stories recently regarding well-known brands of bottled water, which have been contaminated as a result of poor sanitation due to heavy flooding. Because of the manufacturing and transportation involved in the production of bottled water, not to mention the amount of water bottles that are thrown away each year, it is a far less environmentally friendly option. If you are determined to buy bottled water, choose large bottles made out of glass that can be recycled.

 

Filtered tap (faucet) water is a much better option. There are various types of filter available, from jugs with disposable filters to special systems that can be fitted under the sink. If you use the plastic jug version make sure you change the filter regularly, to prevent contamination by the release of bacteria and heavy metals back into the water. There are different types of fitted water filters: activated carbon, reverse osmosis and distillation. A distilling filter is the most effective, but is expensive to install. Seek professional advice as to what system would best suit your needs and budget.

 

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Things that can go in compost:

 

• Urine: dilute it with water first.

 

• Chicken manure: ideally from organically reared chickens.

 

• Comfrey: rich in many nutrients, especially potash, but contains almost no fibre.

 

• Lawn clippings: but mix them with dry material first, such as damp straw, weeds or leaves, as grass clippings can be too soggy on their own.

 

• Kitchen waste: including tea bags, coffee grounds, cooked pasta, fruit and vegetable trimmings.

 

• Farmyard manure: again ideally from horses or cows bred on organic farms.

 

• Seaweed: a great source of trace elements.

 

• Garden waste: chop it first to help the decomposing process.

 

• Weeds: especially stinging nettles which are high in nitrogen (treat in the same way as lawn clippings), but they should be young weeds that have not formed seeds.

 

• Bracken: but avoid handling when it is producing spores as it is carcinogenic.

 

• Straw: should be damp and ideally already partly rotted.

 

• Woody prunings: shred them first.

 

• Newspaper, cardboard: use sparingly, shredded or torn up and dampened, and avoid materials with coloured inks.

 

Things to avoid:

 

• Cat litter or dog faeces: both of these can carry disease.

 

• Meat and fish scraps: they smell as they rot and may attract rats and other pests.

 

• Diseased plant material: diseases can spread through the compost.

 

• Perennial weeds and weeds in seed: they may continue growing in the compost, especially if it is not hot enough to destroy the seeds.

 

• Plastic, tin, glass and other synthetic materials: they do not decompose.

 

The ideal method for making compost is to make a heap in one go, but to do this you need to collect bags of waste for several weeks or months. If you add material gradually, it may take at least eight to 12 months before it is ready to use, whereas in summer a newly constructed, complete heap would take around two months to turn to compost. A gradual heap may also not reach high enough temperatures to kill off weeds or diseases.

 

With either method, it is a good idea to layer the different materials, spreading them evenly and adding water if the material is dry, before covering the heap. Make sure your compost heap does not become too dry or wet. Soggy compost smells bad and takes a long time to break down; dry compost is also slow to decompose as microbes prefer damp conditions. To speed up decomposition, turn the compost with a fork every six to eight weeks.

 

Maintaining a high temperature is important to kill off weeds and diseases - your pile should be at least 50°C (122°F) (often not possible if composting gradually). If you are using a compost bin it should be at least 1 m³ (1 yd³) in size in order to achieve high temperatures and you can also help by lining the bin with dry autumn leaves or hay.

 

The compost is ready to use when it is a dark colour, smells earthy and the original ingredients have almost gone. Remaining straw, twigs and sticks can be picked or sieved out. The final result can be used on gardens, lawns and house plants. Dig it into the soil or leave it on top for the worms to do the work for you. It is best applied in spring when the weather should be more conducive to its staying in the soil - heavy rain can wash the compost away before the worms can do their bit.

 

TIPS

 

• Always protect the compost heap from rain with a waterproof cover.

 

• Make sure you can remove the bottom layer easily.

 

• Turn the heap every few months to introduce air into the mix.

 

• Dampen any dry material such as straw or autumn leaves first to aid its decomposition.

 

• Shred items tike leaves, newspapers, cardboard and weeds to speed up their decomposition.

 

• Mix fresh grass mowings and fruit and vegetable leftovers with dry material to stop the pile becoming too sodden.

 

• Make sure you have broad mixture of materials in the pile and layer them evenly.

 

• To avoid attracting flies and insects to kitchen waste, make a hole in the centre of your compost pile and bury the waste.

 

• If you want a quick start to your composting you can purchase compost activators or accelerators containing organic material designed to kick-start your compost.

 

• If you have large quantities of leaves, it may be worth composting them separately in a wire mesh container or in plastic sacks.

 

But if you are new to gardening and all this talk of creating your own compost has put you off making a start on your own garden, take heart - there are various green options that do not reguire you to devote a part of your garden to a decomposing pile of waste. Your local authority may well be running a community composting scheme or composting green waste from its parks and gardens, which it will deliver to you for a small fee, for example.

 

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Nothing excites a green gardener more than composting. It is the ultimate form of recycling, turning household waste such as old newspapers and vegetable peelings into valuable organic matter that will reinvigorate the soil and in turn aid the cultivation of plants. And, if you grow your own fruit or vegetables using this compost, then the whole reuse cycle is complete.

 

Such is the value of composting in terms of savings on waste disposal and benefits to agriculture that many local authorities will provide you with composting bins and help and guidance on composting. Even if you have no intention of gardening, you could seek out a local composting project that will accept your household waste, since 40 per cent of household waste could be turned into fertile soil instead of contributing to the problem of polluting landfill gases.

 

But composting does more than just save on waste-disposal costs. Garden compost improves soil structure in many ways - helping sandy soils retain water, contributing to drainage in clay soils, and inoculating the soil with healthy microbes, some of which help plants take up more nutrients from the soil and also help improve their resistance to pests and diseases. No matter what soil you have to play with, it will always benefit from compost and you can also use the compost to make up your own growing media.

 

Setting up a composting system is relatively straightforward. You can choose between buying a composting bin - preferably made from recycled plastic - or make your own by wiring together four wooden pallets and lining them with cardboard, or drilling holes in an old plastic or galvanized dustbin (trash can) if you have a spare one. Whatever your choice of container it should be covered, with either a lid or some old carpet, to keep out the rain and keep heat in. It is also best to site it near your kitchen so you have no excuse when it comes to depositing your kitchen waste on the heap.

 

Once you have allocated a site for the compost heap or bin, you are ready to embark upon what many in gardening liken to alchemy. There is no shortage of composting ‘experts’ who will be only too ready to blind you with science on their particular tried-and-tested method. However, the basic principles are simple. You need to provide food, air and water in order for billions of microbes (fungi, bacteria and so on), worms and insects to turn your waste into compost.

 

The food you add should be a mixture of high-carbon and high-nitrogen materials. Wood, paper and leaves are high in carbon but left alone would decay too slowly, and may deplete nitrogen in the soil. Grass clippings and fruit and vegetable waste, which are rich in nitrogen, break down much more easily but can create slimy, smelly compost heaps. A suitable mixture might include: dry, dead plant material such as straw, autumn leaves and wood chips - usually moistened first; fresh plant material such as green leaves, fruit and vegetable scraps from the kitchen, tea bags and coffee grounds; and fresh horse manure (ideally from organically fed horses). You can also add newspapers in small amounts and cardboard cereal boxes.

 

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If you want a nice luscious green yard, there are a lot of things you can do without introducing chemicals. You see, even though there are yards with lots of different chemicals and they look really great, the chemicals are not good for the environment and not good for the health of our family. Do we want our children playing on a lawn treated heavily with chemicals? No.

Luckily there are still some things you can do to improve your lawn naturally. To start with make sure you are keeping up with regular maintenance. You should be mowing the grass to keep it clean cut and healthy. You should be watering it deeply and regularly if rainfall is not sufficient. If there is any sign of drought you should be careful with water, perhaps installing rainwater collection barrels to collect water for times when water is scarce.

When you water your lawn the best time to do it is in the morning or evening to prevent evaporation from the sun. You should water it until you have given it an inch of water.
You can put a measuring cup under the sprinkler to be sure. If you have the time, the best way to do it is by watering it one half inch letting it sit for an hour and then the other half inch.

Another tip for having a natural lawn is you leaving your grass clippings on the lawn. This is called mulching. This way you don’t waste the plastic bags or energy you use to put the grass out to the road. Leaving grass clippings also helps maintain moisture.

You should also clip your lawn a little bit higher. You can keep it up to 3 inches high if the codes in your area allow. This helps to keep the essential microorganisms in the soil safe. Another good idea for easy and natural gardening is to choose plants that are native to your area. When you do this, the plants need almost no additional care and will grow almost naturally. Control weeds with natural ingredients like corn gluten or spot-treat them with vinegar. The mowing process can cause pollution if you gas powered mowers. Look into electric or even solar powered mowers instead.

There are runners that grow above the soil but lower than the grass and these should be controlled as well. These runners are called thatch and should be kept at under a half inch. If you don’t, the soil won’t get the nutrients and water it needs to establish healthy roots for your lawn, and keep it looking healthy. The best way to get rid of this thatch is to use a metal rake whenever needed to break it down.

Keeping your lawn naturally healthy shouldn’t be hard at all, and it is actually really good for the environment. Give it a shot by practicing these tips and you will love the lush green yard you have, and you won’t feel the need to use chemicals anymore.

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How much do you love your pets? They are important members of the family right? That is very normal today, pets have become a great center of attention for so many people because they loving and make wonderful and loyal companions. For some it is the closest thing to having children and they become your babies.

Well these babies need to be taken care of as well as any other babies and natural families seek to find the most natural pet care processes they can. Natural pet care would include few chemicals in care products if any and as little medical intervention as possible. There are many options available if you would like to provide natural pet care for your animals.

First you might consider the vet you see. There are directories of vets available online that list vets who promote natural vet medicine. This means they will do what is necessary for your animal’s health while treating them naturally. This could mean they would give them a special diet of all natural foods. It could even mean a raw food diet.

Your vet might also suggest some kind of natural supplements for your pet as well. If for example there is something wrong with your animal’s health there are supplements that can be tried before, after and during medications. Labradors for example, are prone to get hip displaysia and there are several natural treatments available for this. All you have to do is talk to a natural vet to get the best recommendations.

When buying pet food look for brands that contain all-natural, whole foods and ingredients, not meat “by-products” and “filler” made from corn.  If you see pet food made with “meals” avoid it as “meals” are leftover animal parts, boiled and processed.  Other items found in pet food include toxic pesticides and potentially hazardous synthetic preservatives.  Look for those substances and put the product back as many of these preservatives found in pet food have been declared unsafe for human consumption.

Also because so many people are interested in going “green” and natural pet supply stores and even grocery stores are picking up on it. There are now animal foods, dog collars, organic pet bedding, and flea treatments available that are all natural, some in the grocery stores and more at pet stores. You can find treats as well that are all natural.  For years there have been natural cat litters available, though most have to be purchased in pet supply stores.

You should consider the items, toxins and chemicals you have in and around your home if you have a pet. Chemicals that you use for cleaning can be harmful and deadly to your animals. Chemicals you use outside for you pool and lawn can also be harmful to them. They are a lot closer to the ground then we are and their exposure is greater. Using natural and green cleaners would be better for the whole family, especially our furry family members.

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There’s a special kind of excitement about packing up to go camping. No television, no telephone ringing…just the sound of birds in the morning and the clean smell of the woods. That feeling can come to a screeching halt if when you arrive at your site you see remnants of the last city dweller who ventured out to the wild. Dirty cups, refuse, and other garbage can really put a damper on your camping vacation. Worse yet, the impact of this attitude can be deadly to animals and flora around you.

Green camping is an extension of your everyday commitment to living in an ecologically friendly way with the environment. Here are some steps you can take to camp the “Green Way.”

There is a popular mantra among campers… “Pack it in, pack it out.” Take out any litter that you find on your campsite and plan to leave the site cleaner than you found it. Leave nothing behind. When choosing a campsite, use an existing one to prevent impacting new areas. If there is a meadow in your vicinity don’t choose to set your tent up in that area—that’s a fragile environment.

Build campfires in designated rings only. You should never burn plastics or other toxic materials in campfires or leave campfires to burn out on their own unattended.

Be aware of anything you introduce to the outdoors that is not natural. Pack as many bio-degradable products as possible. Don’t use harsh detergents around your campground. Use Earth friendly dish detergent for dish washing. Don’t put any soap in streams, creeks or lakes – even biodegradable soaps are not good for fish downstream.

Aluminum foil is often found in fire pits because it won’t melt in the temperatures that are achieved in most camp fires. Avoid using foil paper and you’ll help to eliminate the harmful waste in the environment that is created by discarded aluminum foil. The same applies to beer cans – they don’t melt and are an ugly and harmful remnant to leave behind.

Don’t leave cars idling to charge cell phones and iPods. Bring solar chargers for these items and solar powered lights would be better than kerosene lamps too.

If you use disposable diapers for your children remember that they are not biodegradable and if they escape your camp area by accident they can be another harmful element for the environment and animals. Cloth diapers would be the best solution but if that isn’t an option please dispose of your child’s diapers carefully in an appropriate waste receptacle.

There is a misconception that chicken bones and other food remnants like corn cobbs will disappear quickly and safely into the environment. Some items like chicken bones can actually splinter and harm local wildlife. Again please discard all food items in appropriate receptacles.

Camping is a great way to enjoy the outdoors with your family in a simple, uncomplicated way. Green camping helps to ensure that we’ll have wonderful, clean camp grounds to enjoy for generations to come.

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