Homemade Potpourri

If you are a potpourri fan, but would like a less toxic and more environmentally friendly way to enjoy the lovely scent without shelling out tons cash and disposing of excess packaging...make some of your own.

Fill a little pot halfway with water, add essential oils of your choice, a mixture of spices, and/or get creative with dried flowers or citrus peels, then turn the stove on to low heat and let it simmer. For gifting and making it look a bit prettier, make a sachet with a piece of cheesecloth, add the ingredients and tie it off with some string. Just be sure to check the pot often as the water evaporates to avoid a fire or burning the pot. Add more water as necessary.

One of my favorite potpourri recipes for this time of year is: a few dashes of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and a splash of vanilla. I especially like warming up a pot of this before entertaining guests and to help clear out the awful smell of something burning in the oven. Cinnamon, whole cloves and vanilla sticks work well too.

For those of you, especially pregnant women, who tend to feel a bit stuffy, a few drops of eucalyptus and peppermint oil can work wonders. Bring the water and oil to a boil, remove from heat, drape a towel over your head, hover over the pot and inhale the steam. It is an affordable and natural treatment that can be very beneficial.

Play around with scents you enjoy or do an online search for "homemade potpourri" or "homemade potpourri sachet" to find many more ideas/recipes.

Happy Green Living!!!

Soda Maker

What a great way to enjoy bubbly beverages for a lot less and while sparing the environment so many cans and bottles!

Check out the Soda Stream at home soda maker.

Cleaning Products in Schools

What products does your child's school use to clean?

What kind of soap is in the dispensers?

Are our kids breathing safe air?

Could the air in their schools be contributing to asthma attacks, cancer and other medical maladies caused/agitated by environmental contaminants?

While most of us don't know the answers to these questions, it is important that we find out. School age children spend such a significant amount of time inside school buildings that it is necessary to think about the air quality. The impact of cleaning supply contaminants may not be immediate, but can show up years later. Taking the initiative to do something now can help save the health and quality of life for our children.

Please take a look at one of the Environmental Working Group's latest reports on cleaning supplies (the green/black box on the right has test results, faqs, and ways to help schools including a sample letter for parents).

Happy Green Living!

Light Bulbs

If you still haven't changed the light bulbs in your home or find yourself wondering if the bulbs you have replaced were worth it, here is a Seventh Generation article that can help clear up any confusion and make you feel better about the mercury compact flourescent bulbs (CFLs) contain. The energy saved by switching from incandescent light bulbs is astounding and the mercury levels are way smaller than even two years ago (like 500xs!!!). So whether you prefer LED or CFLs, it is worth it and by 2014 incandescent light bulbs will be a thing of the past and you won't have a choice.

Happy Green Living!!!

Reusing Glass in the Kitchen

Take a look in your refrigerator and pantry. Do you have consumables in glass jars? When you are done with the contents, what do you do with the jar? Do you toss it in the trash or recycle bin, or do you reuse it?

If you are interested in canning, need new drinkware, or would like a way to contain loose items like paper clips, nails, change...take another look at those glass jars. There are numerous nifty ways to reuse glass jars so you can save money and get organized.

The spaghetti sauce I use comes in a mason jar that will be perfect for canning my tomatoes next year. The cost of purchasing tops and seals for canning will be minimal compared to the amount that can be saved by reusing containers from items that have already been purchased. The honey jar is perfect for the jam I hope to learn to make from my mother. The capers container will become the cinnamon sugar holder. The chicken bullion one will house the nails in the garage that are currently in tattered boxes. The salsa ones are perfect for adult drinking cups while the smaller cherry ones will work better for the kids. How about using a larger jar to make sun brewed iced tea?

The cost of purchasing tops and seals for canning will be minimal compared to the amount that can be saved by reusing containers from items that have already been purchased.

Whether you recycle or reuse your glass jars, avoiding plastic containers that contain harmful chemicals is a fantastic way to help improve your health and that of our environment. Here's a National Geographic article to help provide a glimpse into a disturbing discovery that plastics can break down in the ocean with devastatingly harmful results.

Every little bit you do can have an impact. One change can make a difference. Plant a garden full of fruits and vegetables you enjoy to limit your consumption of mass produced factory foods. While not everyone has the time and energy for a garden, focusing on purchasing products from local producers is just as good...and whenever a store bought item is necessary, try to get it in glass or try to find it with the most minimal amount of packaging possible.

Please post comments to share your thoughts and ideas on other ways to reuse items normally tossed in the trash or recycle bin. It doesn't have to be limited to glass.

Happy Green Living!!!

SIGG Finally Cops to BPA

If you have Sigg bottles, you will want to read over the FAQ on their website that states before August 2008, their bottles did contain BPA. Below is a picture to help you figure out which lining yours has. I bought some Sigg bottles this summer...half of them have the new liner while the other half has the older, brassy looking one and will be digging thru my receipts to return them as soon as possible.

I also recommend reading the information available on Z Recommends for a little insight into how sly Sigg was over the last few years scurting the issue of BPA in their bottles.

The more I read up on companies and the lies they tell in order to make a profit at the expense of their consumers health, the more frustrated I get. How do these CEO's sleep at night? How can they look into the sweet, innocent face of a child and continue to spew out toxic products? It is pathetic that providing a product became more of a game of profit than safely meeting a consumer need.

Educate, Challenge, Change! You can make a difference!!!!

Back to School - Eco-Friendly Lunches

Buses are trolling through neighborhoods, backpacks are overflowing with classroom supplies and lunch boxes are stuffed with goodies.

The new school year is here and it couldn't be a better time to take a look at your kid's lunch box (hopefully it is lead and bpa free) and what you use to package sandwiches, veggies, crackers, etc.

Do you use ziploc baggies?

Even though there are new bags on store shelves claiming to have 25% less plastic, they are still made of plastic and end up in the trash after one use. Think about how many of those bags make it to landfills each day, or worse, fly off the truck and end up swirling around in the Pacific Ocean in what has been coined Garbage Island.

In an attempt to cut down on my household's waste, I switched to reusable, bpa free tupperware, but many lunchboxes are not big enough for a drink and bulky tupperware containers.

My problem was solved while shopping at my local Whole Foods the other day when I came across Wrap-n-mats. They are a fun, eco-friendly way to wrap sandwiches, veggies, fruits, crackers or just about anything. Not only are they good for holding food items, but they work well as placemats when opened up.

Clean up is simple...just wipe, air dry, and they are ready to use again.

Look for them at your local stores, order them online, or make your own. Every little bit helps!

Happy Green Living!

Crafty Cool Magazine

If you are interested in some fun, chic ways to recycle trash into cool treasures, check out the new Green Craft magazine. The first issues hit newstands August 1, 2009 and is printed on recycled paper.

Just Say No To Bottled Water

Bottled water litters grocery store shelves in various shapes and sizes and now has cute roller skating babies promoting it...but is it really that good? Not at all! Filtered water from the tap is the cheapest and safest form of water available. In fact, its the only water that received a good grade in EWG's water test.

For more reasons why a reusable drinking vessel filled with filtered water from the tap is your best bet, check out these links:

http://www.enviroblog.org/2009/07/will-watching-evians-roller-babies-make-you-stupider.html

http://www.thegreenguide.com/food/buying/tapped-out

Candles

Do you enjoy lighting a candle to soften the mood, relax, or scent the air? If your favorite candle isn't 100% beeswax, you may want to reconsider and save yourself from doing more harm than good.

Click on the link below to read more about paraffin, lead wicks, soy, and the benefits of beeswax (it actually cleans the air):

Illuminating Thoughts - Toxic Candles at The Epicurean Table

Plastics and a Challenge for You

Ever wonder how much plastic is produced, used, and discarded without much of a thought as to its effect on our environment? Well, here's your chance! How many bottles of water do you drink in a day...how many cartons of milk do you go thru in a week...how is your bread packaged?

Plastic is a part of our everyday lives in ways that most of us don't bother to think about. While it can be recycled, avoiding it as much as possible is best, but in today's world, is that feasible? It may be difficult, but anything is possible! A little will power and a dash of compassion can go a long way to help improve our environment now and for future generations.

Check out the Enviroblog entry about the movie Addicted to Plastics and see if you can come up with at least one way in which to curb your plastic use. Even the smallest change can have a positive impact.

Instead of buying milk in plastic or unrecyclable wax lined cartons, buy organic milk in reusable glass bottles from a local farm that has grass fed cows. Not only will you be decreasing your carbon footprint, but you'll also get a fresher, more nutritious form of milk that came from a cow in the last week rather than over a month ago.

Educate, challenge, change...you can make a difference!

Happy Earth Day!

If you are interested making a change in your usual routine to help improve the environment, but don't know where to begin, here are a few fairly simple ways to start the process:

* Recycle everything and anything your local city, town, county allows. If there are limitations, look into local drop sites that take items your local service may not pick up curbside.

* Switch to baking soda and vinegar for most cleaning jobs. Baking soda is a fantastic whitener instead of bleach or oxy brand additives and can easily clean a soap scummy bathroom. Vinegar is a great fabric softener and odor eliminator.

* Instead of chlorine bleached diapers that contain Dioxin, Tributyl-tin (TBT), and sodium polyacrylate, switch to 7th Generation or G-Diapers or, better yet, cloth diapers. The Natural Baby Co has a fantastic line if Dream-eze organic all in one diapers. (I have no financial stake in the company, I just love their diapers and have tried my fair share)

* Use reusable bags when shopping...bonus...some stores offer a refund of 3 - 10 cents when you use your own bag(s)

* When buying fresh fruits and vegetables, forgo the bag

* Buy products with minimal packaging...if you can't avoid this, recycle as much of the packaging as possible or come up with alternate uses like using bread bags to pick up pet droppings, contain a dirty diaper, or for the contents of the tupperware container hidden in the back of the fridge

* Ditch paper napkins and towels and opt for washable versions. You can even go to your local craft store and pick out fabric to make your own.

Bacon and Penguins and a not so well known relationship

If you enjoy bacon for breakfast, you may want to put some thought into the type of bacon you are eating. The premiere episode of the new season of Stuff Happens hosted by Bill Nye addresses the impact of many breakfast items, including bacon, on our environment. Since it is easier to pick up a package of bacon at the store, bring it home, and fry it up without a single thought about what it takes to get it to you....here is some food for thought to help you out and maybe motivate you to pick a healthier, more environmentally friendly version:

According to Bill Nye: There’s an old supply chain from the South American Western Coast to North American farmers. And what is supplied is fish feed made from anchovies. So, American bacon pigs are fed fish from South American oceans. And so many fish are fished so aggressively that penguins are going out of business. The penguin ecosystem has been devastated, and penguin populations have been decimated by this practice. So we encourage you – the listener, the viewer – to buy…organic, grain-fed bacon. That’s what we want you to do to reduce the market for this anchovy feed. And it’s just something that humans are kind of doing by accident, but on such an enormous scale that’s it’s screwing up an entire ecosystem in the south western Pacific. (from Lab Out Loud)

Vegetarian for a Day

http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/04/06/why-going-vegetarian-for-one-day-will-help-stop-global-warming/

Right Back At You aka Karma

Check out the short connect2earth video on the 7Gen Blog

http://seventhgeneration.com/learn/blog/real-karma?source=email

Plastic and Garbage Island

When you have some time, sit down, pull up this link and watch this 12 part video series. Eye opening and mind boggling. (Warning: It has an occasional naughty word)
http://www.vbs.tv/video.php?id=1485308505&r=teaser

Perfluorochemicals (PFCs)

Know what perfluorochemicals (PFCs) are? If not, its time to learn about these chemicals, how you are exposed to them, and why it matters (you certainly won't find them on any labels but they are in products you purchase and eat).

Check out the EWG Enviroblog on this subject matter for more information:

http://www.enviroblog.org/2009/03/pfoa-in-butter.html

Eco Friendly Exercise

Interested in an eco friendly work out? Then get yourself a pair of K2's Eco Maia (women) or Etu (men) rollerblades and protective pad set! Not only are they made of recyclable/sustainable materials, but a portion of the proceeds are donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation and The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

Skate Stats:
100% Bamboo frame
100% Post Consumer Recycled PET Liner
50%Post Industrial Recycled PET Mesh
100% Laces made from Recycled PET
100% PVC Free

Pad Set Stats:
37% Recycled PET Sandwich Mesh
100% Post Consumer Recycled PET Liner

*PET = Polyethylene Terephthalate (A Resin Made From Ground up Water & Soda Bottles)

The shipping box is made of 70% recycled materials and printed with soy based inks.

Check out their website for more information on how K2 is "Save our Planet, One Skate At A Time."

www.k2skates.com/eco

Reusing Food Bags

Have you ever thought about the number of bags you throw away on a regular basis? Everything from bread to produce to chips come in bags. Rather than throw them away...save them and reuse for dirty diapers, cleaning out the litter box, or picking up presents from your pup in the yard.

Another Reason to Avoid That Nasty High Fructose Corn Syrup

Apparently high fructose corn syrup has mercury in it...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20090126/hl_hsn/studyfindshighfructosecornsyrupcontainsmercury

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/mercury/

Natural Pesticides/Repellents

Ditch the dangerous, conventional pesticides laced with synthetic poisons that are linked to immune-system disorders, hormonal disruptions, fetal defects, and many cancers. Natural pesticides and repellents are available at most stores, but you can easily make your own.

Boric acid or Diatomaceous earth (can be found at gardening centers) are safe and effective against ants and cockroaches. Sprinkle it around baseboards, under sinks and any other areas they hang out in.

Ants are also deterred by spearmint, peppermint, cayenne pepper, clove and cinnamon.

Fend off flies with sweet basil or clover and fleas with citrus oils, garlic or cedar. Citronella, neem and eucalyptus oils ward off mosquitos.

These are just a few remedies for pests. For more information on natural alternatives to pest control, check out these sources:

Earth Easy
Care2
Planet Natural
Pest Information

* From "Nine Things to Kick Out of the Kitchen" by Michael Witeman-Jones in Boulder County Home & Garden Magazine Fall 2008