Today, there are so many non-toxic choices for cleaning supplies, that it just makes sense to switch to products that are safer, non-toxic, and therefore healthier for humans, pets, and the environment.
Because we do so much laundry, I began looking for a cost-effective yet eco-friendly alternative for laundry detergent. One of the first things I tried was, soapnuts from LaundryTree
http://www.laundrytree.com/. The outer shell of the soap"nuts", which are actually the fruit of the
Sapindus Mukorossi tree, contains saponin. Saponins are a natural substance known for its ability to cleanse. According to LaundryTree the soapnuts are also antiimicrobial and biodegradable. I was able to use the soapnuts by placing several in a cotton drawstring bag, or by making a liquid laundry detergent from them. The spent "nuts" were added to our compost and the packaging was much more eco-friendly than commerically available detergent which comes in plastic containers. I used essential oils to add a pleasant scent the laundry, and as far as I could tell, the laundry was as clean as usual, but I still met with quite a bit of resistance from my family.
LaundryTree's website also suggests soapnuts for non-toxic window cleaner, liquid hand soap, floor cleaner, kitchen and bathroom cleaner, and even as a shampoo! Although I admit I didn't try the soapnut soak for these other applications, I still may. It was worth a try as our laundry detergent, however, to keep the peace, I switched to a eco-friendlier laundry detergent than I had been using. Although I don't think it can be classified as non-toxic, it's still better than what I was using, and sometimes you have to make trade-offs to achieve harmony.
Now we're using, Natural Elements Ultra Purex linens and lilies laundry detergent as a compromise. The packaging indicates that the detergent is a naturally sourced cleaning power, made from plant-based surfactants and natural fragrance extracts, that it is a biodegradable formula with no phosphates, safe for the septic, and it's affordable considering all the laundry we do. The plastic bottle is recyclable, and there is also an EPA stamp, "designed for the environment"
www.epa.gov/dfe I am working on slowly switching to other non-toxic versions of cleaners such as Green Works Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner, and "natural biodegradable" cleaning wipes with coconut-based cleaners and essential oils (and even though they are disposable I ease my conscience with the fact that they are compostable!).
Recently, after refilling my dishwashing pump with the last of the usual dishwashing liquid, I added it to my grocery list, and made a conscious decision to look for a non-toxic version to try. I took the opportunity to buy ECOVER's ecological dishwashing liquid with lemon and aloe vera. I'm very excited to try ECOVER's formula. There are several reasons I decided to try ECOVER's dishwashing liquid: it's made with plant and mineral ingredients, is biodegradable, safe for septic systems, and made at their eco-friendly factory.
http://www.ecover.com/us/en/About/ I'll be sure to let you know about the product once we use up the current dishwashing liquid :)
Besides non-toxic cleaning products available at the store from companies such as Ecover, Greenworks, Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyers, and J.R. Watkins, other options include natural cleaners that can be made with ingredients probably found in your fridge or cabinets: such as apple cider vinegar, white vinegar (a weak form of acetic acid), baking soda (sodium bicarbonate or NaHCO3), and lemons.
There are many recipes to make
simple general purpose cleaners:
Mix 2 tbs baking soda + 16oz water in a spray bottle, or
mix a solution of 1 part water to 1 part vinegar, or
mix ½ c apple cider vinegar with 1c water (clean tiles, disinfecting, windows, microwave, glass, mirrors)
Other cleaners that can be made easily:
Window cleaner: Mix 1 tsp distilled white vinegar + 16oz
Disinfecting cleaner: Mix 10-20 drops tea tree oil + 16oz water
Floor cleaner: Mix 16 oz water + ½ tsp liq soap, ½ tsp borax, , splash vinegar or lemon (spray floor, mop)
Furniture polish: Mix 1 cup olive oil with ½ cup lemon juice
Fabric softener: Add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of store bought fabric softener.
Deodorizer: baking soda is a natural deodorizer for closets, refrigerator, lockers, shoes, carpet, etc.
Mold and Mildew: White vinegar or lemon juice full strength, apply with sponge and scrub.
Microwave Cleaner: Mix 2 Tbsp baking soda or lemon juice with 1c water in a microwave-safe bowl until boil. Wipe down condensation and insides of microwave.
Bathroom: Use pure vinegar in the toilet bowl to get rid of rings and eat away soap scum and hard water stains, or use lemon juice to dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits (mix with vinegar or baking soda to make a paste).
Whichever non-toxic product or recipe you choose, you'll feel great knowing you are using products that are healthier for you, your family, and the environment. Happy Cleaning!
http://www.armandhammer.com/solutions.aspx
http://www.heinzvinegar.com/tips/kitchen-tips
Green This! by Deirdre Imus
My eco-conscious sister always manages to find some really neat green gifts. This Christmas she surprised me with a beautiful pair of earrings made from recycled forks. The designer, Maude Lapierre, creates "unique pieces of jewelry out of discarded stainless steel cutlery, transforming the simple structure and patterns of a fork into something new and elegant."
“A country's water footprint, as opposed to simple water use, is the total amount of H2O needed for the production of goods and services. Figuring out a country's water footprint means adding all the water used plus the water inherent in products imported, then minus the water in exports. Using this top-down method, the average water footprint in the world is 1,243 cubic meters a year. As you already might have guessed, in the U.S. we are water hogs - we use more than twice the world average, or 2,500 cubic meters. That's equivalent to an Olympic-sized swimming pool for each and every one of us, or 2.5 million liters each. The Chinese, to compare, use 700 cubic meters annually. 
So in answer to the question, "How much water does the average American use?", the answer ranges from about 80-100 gallons per day! Surprisingly, the largest amount of water used daily is flushed down the toilet, with most toilets using about 5 gallons of water per flush! Luckily you can reduce the water you use for flushing with simple devices such as the Dual Flusher (read more at http://peaceloveplanet.blogspot.com/2010/08/h-is-for-home-improvements.html and http://peaceloveplanet.blogspot.com/2010/08/dual-flusher-wins-approval.html.) Showering, uses between 25-35 gallons (depending on length of shower, and whether you have a new low flow shower-head or not), the dishwasher about 9-15 gallons, and washing clothes in a washing machine accounts for about 15 gallons. In addition, we use water throughout the day to wash hands, brush teeth, and for other miscellaneous uses (not including outdoor water uses). 
Regular bulbs, also called incandescent bulbs, glow when a tiny coil of wire is heated by electricity. Energy-saving light bulbs, usually called compact flourescent bulbs or CFLs, produce light when electricity runs through mercury and gases inside of a spiral-shaped bulb. For comparison sake, the cost for one regular 75 watt bulb is about 50 cents, and each bulb produces 1,200 lumens, while a CFL that also produces 1,200 lumens costs as little as $2.53.
We’ve probably all heard that there is no bad question, except for the one not asked…and there are many famous quotes about questions. Here are a few of my favorites...
If you are curious like me, tune in tomorrow to learn the answers to these green conundrums! Some of the answers may shock you. And remember what Einstein said, "Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning."
So we are surrounded by, and use plastic from the day we are born, until the day we die. Sadly, every bit of plastic that has ever been created still exists. It may get crushed into smaller pieces, and eventually break down to smaller polymers, but with the exception of a small amount that is incinerated (which results in the release of toxic chemicals into the air), it still exits in our landfills and the oceans. The massive Eastern Garbage Patch, which is caught up in the currents of the North Pacific Gyre is estimated to be the size of the United States, and extends to a depth of about 100 feet. The plastic and trash is harmful to the marine life which often eats the plastic bags and other trash mistaking it for food. Sampling has found that the overall concentration of plastic is seven times greater than the concentration of zooplankton, which are the basis for the aquatic food web. That's just not right.
Yikes! My lil goblins hauled in just about 20 pounds of candy! A dentist's dream come true...
Let's admit it. The popular boots such as Uggs, Beachfeet, etc, the scuff slippers, sneakers, hiking boots, soccer cleats, and soon enough the snow boots, get awfully sweaty and stinky! When several pair of these funky locker room-like shoes and boots are stored in a closet, shoe bag, or basket, well.....to put it bluntly...PHEWWWW!!!
Besides non-toxic cleaning products available at the store from companies such as Ecover, Greenworks, Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyers, and J.R. Watkins, other options include natural cleaners that can be made with ingredients probably found in your fridge or cabinets: such as apple cider vinegar, white vinegar (a weak form of acetic acid), baking soda (sodium bicarbonate or NaHCO3), and lemons.
research at Bristol University and University College London. Researchers there have discovered that the harmless, naturally occurring soil bacteria Mycobacterium vaccae helps elevate your mood. Christopher Lowry, a neuroscientist at the University of Bristol in England, thinks that "the bacteria activate immune cells, which release chemicals called cytokines that then act on receptors on the sensory nerves to increase their activity." Mycobacterium vaccae, may also be able to alleviate depression, and activate serotonin-releasing neurons in the brain. 
It's estimated that 380 billion plastic bags (about 1,200 plastic bags per person/per year), and about 2.7 billion juice boxes are thrown away each year. (Earthworks Group, 2009) When I read the statistics about plastic bags I quickly calculated that my family would use on average 7,200 plastic bags made from non-renewable petroleum products per year. YIKES! So over the course of the last year, I've switched the family over to using reusable sandwich and snack bags. Via a school fundraiser, I bought wrap-n-mat www.wrap-n-mat.com which I like because it provides a clean surface for the sandwiches to set on instead of the germy lunchtable. Then I discovered snacktaxi.com http://www.snacktaxi.com/, and resnackit.com http://resnackit.com/. I bought a few of each brand and was hooked on them! They are easy to clean, and can be reused over and over, and are made of food-safe materials. We also use small glad plastic containers instead of plastic bags for muffins, and other things that stand up better in a rigid container (and to appease the pickiest of all..the teenagers in the family who are not easily swayed by my eco-conscious reasoning...they just find it hard to be "cool" using my awesome eco-snack and sandwich bags). I must comment that the kids, hubby, and I have had many positive comments about our fun, colorful reusable bags, and we are often asked for info about the bags, which we readily share. Recently my sister sent us some new bags called Lunchskins 3greenmoms.com and those have been a nice addition to our collection as well.
As for food waste, much of it could be composted, and recycled into "brown gold" by the humblest of decomposers, the Earth worm. Greening of school lunches could easily be integrated into the school curriculum. Setting goals to reduce waste, bring waste-free lunches, sorting out recyclables, composting, graphing waste reduction and disposal savings could all be integrated into science, math, and even writing curriculum. I wholeheartedly believe that providing children with opportunities to learn about positive environmental habits will lead to lifelong attitudes about sustainability and environmental stewardship. 
And black is now in vogue at crayola...you may have noticed that Crayola colored markers have black barrels instead of white. Crayola is now using recycled plastic bottle caps to make the marker barrels. In addition, plastic scraps from making marker casings are crushed into tiny pellets and put back into the system. The black color of the barrels allows more recycled plastic to be used, in turn keeping 1 million pounds of plastic bottle caps and scrap plastic out of landfills.
During my back-to-school supply shopping, I found a "green" highlighter by Pentel. It is part of the new Recycology™ the Science of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle program, which Pentel developed "to enhance its mission of helping the environment by creating less waste and increasing recycling activity" through innovative product design and manufacturing. With this line of products, Pentel's goal is to "protect natural resources and the environmental at all stages of the manufacturing process" and it is accomplished by using a minimum of 50% recycled content (excluding consumable content and refills). 
Paper Mate also has green products that are impressive. Their line of biodegradable pens and pencils, have barrels that unscrew and are made from corn-based material. After removing the interior plastic/ink piece that is not biodegradable, the barrel decomposes in the compost or landfill in about a year. They also have products made from recycled materials such as their correction film (67% recycled material), ball point pens made with 70-80% recycled materials. I found the Earth Write pencils and added that to our back-to-school supply pile. These pencils are made from 100% recycled cedar. They also participate with Terracycle one of my favorite eco-entrepreneurial companies that up-cycling materials using innovative designs http://papermate.com/Pages/terracycle.aspx. 
