Happy Earth Day!

Today in honor of Earth Day my daughter and I cleaned up our road which we adopted through our city's Adopt-A-Road Program. Since we adopted our road 4 years ago we have noticed that our road has gotten much cleaner. The program coordinator mentioned that this often happens, when neighbors see others cleaning up the road it makes them more likely to pick up trash themselves.

We also did some spring cleaning of our closets and have many great items to donate to our local Goodwill store. I love Goodwill! They are great for helping people strive to reduce and reuse items. According to their website, Goodwill diverts more than two billion pounds of clothing and household goods every year from landfills. When you donate unwanted items to Goodwill you allow others to reduce their impact on the planet by purchasing used goods. When you shop at Goodwill you can not only reduce the amount of money you spend on items, you can reuse and recycle items that may otherwise end up in the landfill.

How did you celebrate Mother Earth today?

Stove Top Cleaner

I have been experimenting with homemade cleaners for my glass stove top and have finally found a winner! The best part about this cleaner is it uses supplies I already had in my pantry. Here's the recipe:

1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds
20 drops of tea tree oil

Combine the ingredients into a paste. Store in an airtight jar.

You can't beat how easy it is to make and it works great! A note about Sal Suds - it is a cruelty-free biodegradable cleaner and is super concentrated so it lasts forever. I buy mine locally at a herb store, but it is also available on Amazon (is there anything you can't get on Amazon?)

A Simply Delicious Bouquet

I had some friends over the other night and one brought the most unique green bouquet for me! She had cut celery and zinnias from her garden and arranged them together. The bright green celery made the vibrant zinnias just pop and the celery's fresh scent greeted every time I entered my kitchen. The best part of the beautiful gift is, as the flowers fade I will compost the flowers and eat the celery. My creative friend shows a perfect example of how being green sometimes means just thinking outside the box.

Green Buying & Selling

Reduce your impact on the planet by choosing to shop greener.

1. Buy used if possible.

2. Remember your trash can be someone else's treasure - sell unwanted items on ebay or craigslist or donate them to the local thrift shop.

3. When making purchases ask yourself whether you really need to upgrade something that works just fine.

4. Rent seldom used items instead of purchasing them.

5. Shop locally and support small businesses.

10 Healthy Green Home Ideas

1. Choose only organic body care products for your bath.

2. Clean green - make your own cleaners from items in your pantry.

3. Choose soy candles instead of petroleum based ones.

4. Take your shoes off at the front door, to limit the toxins tracked throughout your house.

5. Choose organic bed linens for a better night's rest.

6. Improve the air quality in your home with houseplants.

7. Shop your local farmers market for fresh fruits & veggies.

8. Replace paper napkins with cloth napkins.

9. Unplug appliances and electronics when not in use to avoid phantom energy use.

10. Paint your walls with no-VOC paints to avoid your exposure to toxic chemicals.

10 Healthy Living Tips

1. Look up your beauty products on www.CosmeticsDatabase.com. Always read the ingredients in the products you use and be sure to avoid triclosan, fragrance, and oxybenzone.

2. Choose organic & fresh local foods.

3. Limit how much canned food you eat, as many can linings contain bisphenol A (BPA)-which is linked to cancer.

4. Avoid using plastics whenever possible and choose the ones you use carefully to avoid BPA. Never microwave plastic containers.

5. Wash your hands frequently to reduce illness. Avoid using anti-bacterial soaps which are bad for the environment and contain pesticides.

6. Cook with cast iron or stainless steel cookware to avoid the toxic fumes that can be released from non-stick cookware when it is overheated.

7. Establish a "no shoes in the house" policy to reduce pollutants from outside being tracked throughout your house.

8. Use green cleaners made from items from your pantry - baking soda, vinegar, and lemons can be combined into some amazing cleaners.

9. Use reusable stainless steel water bottles instead of buying bottled water.

10. To help with seasonal allergies and stuffy noses caused by winter colds, try using a neti pot instead of over the counter decongestants.

Yes to Carrots

I have found a yummy new lip butter I just love - Yes To Carrots' C Me Smile. It is all natural with extracts from certified organic fruits and vegetables, it contains no petroleum or phthalates, is paraben-free and is not tested on animals!

C Me Smile contains organic carrot, orange, pumpkin and melon extracts which provide
antioxidant protection; coconut oil, olive fruit oil, jojoba seed and sunflower oils to nourish & protect your lips; vitamin E and shea butter.

Why is organic lip butter a smart choice? According to Glamour Magazine's June 2002"Beauty Quickie Tip," "women inadvertently eat 4 lbs of lipstick" in a lifetime. Every time you lick your lips, eat or drink while wearing lip product you ingest a small amount of the product so be sure to choose organic products.

C Me Smile is available in five yummy flavors - Berry, Carrot, Citrus, Melon and Mint. Check out www.yestocarrots.com for more delicious info.

Happy Green Year 2010!

Happy 2010! Here's my family's green goals for this year:

1. Plant an organic garden this spring.

2. Prepare more items from scratch to eat healthier and reduce packaging waste.

3. Switch our plastic reusable food storage containers to glass.

4. Go on an eco-tourism vacation.

5. Learn to make my own soap and beauty products.

6. Support local merchants, crafters, and artists with my purchases.

7. Move to a home that allows use to reduce our driving.

8. Limit purchases to quality, earth-friendly items that will last.

9. Get creative with using recycled items in my crafting.

10. Continue to educate others about the importance of going green and the simple changes they can make to live a little greener.

Daylighting

What is daylighting? Daylighting is the use of natural light instead of electricity to illuminate buildings and homes. Daylighting will save you money while reducing your carbon footprint. New buildings are being designed to take advantage of natural light - check out www.daylighting.org for more information.

Our house was not specifically designed to take advantage of natural light, but we are fortunate that it gets great daylight in most of the rooms. We are able to get great natural light all day and only need to turn on lights after the sun sets or on cloudy days. See if you can take advantage of daylight by opening the curtains instead of turning on a light.

Carbon Rally

I stumbled across a great eco-networking site - www.carbonrally.com which has great earth-friendly challenges for everyone looking to live greener.

The site puts up new a easy to handle challenge every few weeks and keeps track of how much carbon you save. The current challenge is Cold Then Fold - use only cold water to wash and rinse all of your laundry this month. Previous challenges include biking one day a week, line drying laundry, recycling your old cell phone, and reducing the amount of meat you eat.

If you've got a competitive streak, Carbon Rally has challenges that you can do as a team. So compete as a group, family, or workplace and the planet will win.

Earth Friendly Soft Scrub

Looking for a non-toxic scrub for your bathtub, sinks, and kitchen countertops? Check out this simple recipe from Healthy Child, Healthy World.

1/2 cup baking soda
1/8 cup of castile soap (I prefer Dr. Bronner's Peppermint)
1 tsp. vegetable glycerin

Combine well and store in a repurposed squeeze bottle like a mustard bottle. Squeeze onto the surface to be cleaned and scrub with a damp rag and wipe clean.

http://healthychild.org

Happy National Farmers Market Week

Support your local farmers market this week in honor of National Farmers Market Week. Some benefits of shopping at your local farmers market:

1. Meet the people who grow the food you serve to your family and friends.

2. Connect with others in your community.

3. Help support local farmers and artisans.

4. Purchase fresh products at great prices.

5. Learn from farmers how to pick the best produce.

6. Cut your carbon footprint by purchasing food grown locally which is sold without excess packaging.

Do you love your local farmers market? Help them have a chance to win $5,000 by voting at http://www.care2.com/farmersmarket

Repair, Don't Replace

We all know the 3 Rs - reduce, reuse, & recycle. Of the three the first - reduce is the most important. Every new item you purchase has a large impact on the planet, production uses raw materials, energy & water and creates waste. In light of this the most earth friendly thing you can do is to keep an existing item rather than buying new. Renew old items by visiting a jewelry repair, shoe repair, or local seamstress. A few months ago I broke a heel on a pair of my favorite shoes - a quick trip to the shoe repair store and $10 later my shoes were as good as new.

Greening Your Kitchen

Looking for some easy ways to green your kitchen?

1. Give up disposable paper napkins by switching to cloth napkins.

2. Whenever possible, use your microwave to save energy.

3. Become a label reader and educate yourself about different certifications like organic and Fair Trade.

4. When buying dishes, bakeware, and pots look for eco-friendly products.

5. Opt for a bamboo or natural wood cutting board.

6. Use your dishwasher instead of handwashing dishes. As strange as it sounds, dishwashers use less energy and water than handwashing.

7. Fill your pantry with products with minimal packaging and recycle as much packaging as possible.

8. Make your own natural cleaners from items found in your pantry like baking soda, vinegar, and lemons.

9. Instead of paper towels, use reusable cloths for cleaning up spills.

10. Relax with a glass of biodynamic wine with a cork closure. Cork is recyclable and earth-friendly since cork is sustainably harvested from living trees.

Tips from Green America

Here are some great living green tips from Green America...

1. Grow Your Own

"The biggest thing I'm doing this year is growing my own vegetable garden. It will be organic, and it doesn't get any more local than my own back yard. Plus, it's one heck of a money saver. It will even help me build community, because I will surely have extra fruits and vegetables to share with my neighbors."
— Jessica S., Littleton, CO

2. One Less Car

"I don't own a car. Even in the cold Minnesota winters you'll find me biking. Riding a bicycle obviously saves money and resources, but I believe it also builds community. When I am on a bicycle, I feel more connected to my surroundings, and I'm more approachable. I'm always saying hello to people as I ride past, whereas in a car, that interaction would be lost."
— Sarah P., Minneapolis, MN

3. One Less Car, Part Two

"Although I get 48 miles per gallon with my hybrid car, I still make every effort to plan my trips to avoid needless driving, to carpool, and to take public transportation and telecommute, as often as possible. I write and call my political leaders in support of laws and funding for mass transit, and for greener cars."
— Jeanne T., Springfield, VA

4. Reuse, Reuse, Reuse

"One way I have discovered to keep items out of landfills and save a bunch of money in the process is FreeCycle – an online group where members post things they are looking for, and what they have to get rid of. I have received a dining room set (complete with six chairs, buffet, and hutch), bunk beds for my kids, a set of night stands, and a really good juicer for no cost. And I've used FreeCycle to give away all the clothes that my kids have outgrown."
— Lea P-W., Painesville, OH

5. Stop the Leaks

"I'm unplugging the toaster, lamps, cell phone chargers, laptops, and other electronic devices when I'm not using them. These things leak energy needlessly when they are plugged in all the time. It's the quickest way to save energy and it saves me money on the electric bill too."
— Rachelle N., Nashville, TN

6. Harness the Sun

"We installed solar panels on our townhome in March along with another family in our homeowners' association. Several others had expressed interest before the economic meltdown and then backed off, but we hope that with our example others will see that in the long-run it's a money-saver, and they will understand the benefit for both the planet and their bottom lines."
— Ellen S., Boulder, CO

7. Waste Not, Want Not

"I compost. I keep my garbage creation to a minimum. I refuse packaging and bags whenever possible (bringing my own cloth bag). I explain to the checkout person why I am refusing the bag or giving back the packaging. Also, steel is 100-percent recyclable. The recycled steel isn't downgraded or 'downcycled.' I recycle every unusable nail, every screw, every wire, etc., at my local transfer station. Even my steel roof will be recycled when it is done being my roof."
— Ruth O., White Salmon, WA

8. Dispense With Disposables

"This may seem like a minor thing, but it really helps on my limited budget. I have ceased purchasing paper towels and instead use old rags for cleaning and wiping up spills. I wash the dirty rags and reuse them until they wear out. I didn't realize how many paper towels I used to go through before I started this new system."
— Sarah F., Tullahoma, TN

9. Reallocate Your Resources

"Our path toward sustainability began when we realized the value of doing things for ourselves. I began by making our own laundry detergent. It is all-natural and costs less than a penny per ounce to make! We used the money we were saving to take bigger steps: buying our meat in bulk from local farmers who raise their animals on pasture and sustainably, and buying Energy-Star appliances for our house."
— Carrie C., Salem, VA

10. Examine Your Diet

"By becoming vegan I cut my carbon footprint to at least 60 percent and the amount of money that each meal costs me by an average of 78 percent. Beans and legumes are so inexpensive compared to meat! I cut costs even more by growing herbs and vegetables for myself, and I earn fruits by offering to do the picking for friends with fruit trees, in exchange for keeping the surplus. I preserve them in glass jars and make pickled fruits and vegetables to extend them even further ."
— Sarah F., Tullahoma, TN

11. Green celebrations!

"On June 20, I am getting married green style. Oh, green wedding, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways:
1) Used wedding dress from eBay, $10!,
2) Organic, Fair Trade apparel for the wedding party that they can use afterwards,
3) Asking guests to carpool to save gas, money, and the environment,
4) Sending plantable wedding invitations [That's right, you bury the invitations and wildflowers spring forth, just like love blooms…],
5) Using leftover supplies from my cousin's wedding,
6) Buying organic flowers from the farmer's market … and more.
My fiancé Mark and I will be celebrating our day free from wedding-induced debt and the weight of a heavy carbon footprint!"
— Michelle B., Oshkosh, WI

12. Invest Wisely
(and Needs vs. Wants)

"We're always asking ourselves whether this next purchase is a 'need' or a 'want.' When we actually stop to think about it, there are precious few needs. People say things like 'I need cable TV,' but that's probably not true. Calling such things 'needs' cheapens the meaning of the word. We've also begun investing some savings with a community bank. Interestingly, in our experience, the smaller community bank with the social mission has been reliably beating the pants off of the mega-banks in terms of rate of return. We know that we're saving more by getting the higher rate of return, but we are also proud that our money is doing good in the community as well!"
— Steve O., Mamaroneck, NY

13. What Really Matters?

"I'm trying to stay focused on people and relationships rather than stuff. This helps me consider who is affected by what I do buy and from whom I buy it. I save by buying only thrift store clothes, but splurge on Fair Trade chocolate. I support locally owned businesses. I volunteer my time. And with some of the money I save, I use it to support organizations that help people help themselves. I do without stuff; that isn't what matters anyway!"
— Kelly G., Charlotte, NC

14. Get everyone you know involved in going green and saving green.

For more great green living ideas visit Green America at http://www.coopamerica.org

Tips to Improve Your Fuel Efficiency

As fuel prices start to climb again, be sure your car is running efficiently as possible.

1. Be sure to perform your car's scheduled oil changes and tune-ups.

2. Check to see if you need to replace a clogged air filter.

3. Keep your tires properly inflated.

4. Drive smartly - use your cruise control on the highway, avoid quick accelerations and excessive braking.

5. Avoid idling, turn off your car in bank lines and school carlines.

6. Reduce drag by removing roof racks and avoiding excess weight in trunk.

10 Easy Ways to Save Energy

Looking to reduce your carbon footprint and save money on your electric bill? Here are 10 simple tips to help you out:


1. Always turn off the lights when you leave a room.

2. Monitor your thermostat - as the summer heats up set it up a few degrees and use ceiling fans to help you feel cooler.

3. Schedule a free home energy audit with your electric company.

4. Seal air leaks with caulking, sealing, or weather stripping to help keep your air conditioning inside.

5. Be aware of your lighting usage, during the day opt to open curtains to allow daylight in instead of turning on a light.

6. Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.

7. Make sure you aren't keeping your refrigerator or freezer too cold. Recommended temperatures are 37° to 40°F for the refrigerator and 5°F for the freezer.

8. Turn off your computer when it is not in use.

9. Whenever possible, use your microwave for cooking. It uses two-thirds less energy than the stove and will keep the house cooler.

10. Looking for a fun way to save energy? Plan an Earth Hour celebration one evening each week where you turn off the lights and eat dinner and play board games by candlelight.

One step at a time...

Looking to make greener purchases, but feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to start? You don't have to make drastic changes, start small. Change your actions one step at a time by choosing one product you buy often and commit to looking for a greener alternative. Once that change has become habit, look for another item to start buying green. Need suggestions:

1. Instead of reaching for a regular candy bar, choose a fair-trade certified bar. Fair-trade certification means the farmer is fairly paid and the cocoa beans are grown sustainably.

2. Purchase an eco-friendly laundry detergent like Seventh Generation which can now be found at your local grocery store.

3. Purchase toilet paper made from recycled paper. Publix's Greenwise products are earth-friendly and inexpensive.

4. Trade your paper napkins in for cloth napkins. Paper napkins are used for a minute and then are tossed, cloth napkins can be washed and used over and over.

5. Buy items with minimal packaging. Buy bulk items if possible, choose fresh fruits & veggies instead of canned or frozen which will eliminate packaging, and look for cereals sold in bags instead of a bag inside of a box.

Love Your Mother Earth

Mother’s Day is this Sunday, why not show your love for mom and the planet with some great green gifts.

1. Instead of cut flowers which only last a few days, buy mom a potted plant, a plant for her garden, or plant her an organic herb garden she can enjoy throughout the year.

2. Treat your mom to a day at an eco-friendly spa or put together a home spa gift basket. Find a fun reusable container and fill it with natural, organic, and paraben free spa products.

3. Give mom some sweets. In honor of World Fair Trade Day on May 9th, give mom a fair-trade and organic chocolate sampler or bake a batch of homemade organic cookies with chips from www.sweetearthchocolates.com

4. Encourage mom to go green by giving her a reusable tote, a reusable water bottle, and a book on living greener.

5. Cut down on waste by giving mom a day of fun and enjoy some special time together - take a trip to a local museum, head to the beach, pack a picnic and go on a bike ride, or head to the local theater for a play.

Phonebook Overload

Well it's that time again - new phonebook delivery time. In the next few weeks, phonebook companies will deposit their huge phonebooks on my doorstep. Their are two reasons that I get annoyed by all the phone books - first, I rarely use a phonebook as I tend to look up numbers on the internet and second phonebooks are a big burden on the environment - their printing require tons of paper & ink.

Now I need to unload last year's phonebook and the numerous unnecessary editions I will receive this year. Fortunately I can recycle the unwanted books in my newspaper recycling bin, check www.earth911.org to see how to recycle phonebooks in your community. Since reducing is always better than recycling, I wish the companies would change their delivery system and only deliver books to those homes that actually want them.

This lead me to do some research online to see if there was a way to stop phonebook delivery and was very pleased with what I found. To opt out of phonebook delivery visit http://www.paperlesspetition.org

Hopefully next year I will not have a mountain of phonebooks destined for my recycling bin.