Make Green Come True

Creating an eco-friendly Easter basket is a great way to become green over the next week.   Here are a few ideas on how to celebrate Easter the green way:

1.  Reuse a basket.  Purchase a quality Easter basket made of renewable materials (i.e. bamboo, grasses, etc.).  Then you can either reuse it each year or re-purpose it for another use in your house.  Just avoid the plastic baskets that are frequently tossed each year.

2.  Use eco-friendly grass.   You do not have to fill your basket with the celophane shreds of translucent grass that are so common.  Many environmentally-friendly alternatives exist.  Try using biodegradable paper grass, cutting up your own grass from scrapbook paper, or using a green material such as straw.  As a bonus, you’ll also be keeping your pets safe.  Plastic Easter grass is harmful to pets if ingested.

3.  Use natural or organic dyes for your Easter eggs.  You can even create non-toxic Easter Egg dye from fruits, vegetables and spices.  See here for a recipe:  http://www.wholeliving.com/article/non-toxic-easter-eggs.

4.  Fill the basket with environmentally-friendly toys and games.  Try searching for eco-friendly toys online or see the links below for inspiration.

Green Toys Sand Play Set
Sprig Toys Eco-Truck Loader
Green Sprouts Infinity Teether Rattle
Wonderworld Peek-a-boo Ball
Wonderworld Eco – Friendly Rainbow Sound Blocks

When you prepare for Thanksgiving this year, be thankful for our beautiful planet and help preserve it with these simple tips:

1.  If you travel, pack light.  The lighter your bags, the less fuel will be wasted, regardless of your method of transportation.

2.  Plan a local menu.  Seek out farmers markets and locally grown produce.  Not only will it be fresher and better tasting, but it will also be better for the Earth.  Once again, less transportation will be required.

3.  Bring out the nice dishes.  If you use your own plates and silverware over disposable options you will greatly reduce the amout of waste you produce.  Don’t worry if everything doesn’t match.  Your family will enjoy eating on  a variety of family dishware.

4.  Go organic.  Search for fruits and vegetables that do not use pesticides.  Rainwater runoff containing pesticides is a contributor to water pollution and pesticides are potentially harmful to our health.

5.  Dim the lights.  Before your meal, make sure to switch off lights and other devices throughout the house.

The Ontario Ministry of Environment has developed a very useful site to illustrate how you can make an environmental impact throughout your home.  They depict three home – an apartment, townhouse, and house – and highlight room by room strategies to reduce electric cost and consumption, save water, and help save our planet.  While some of the tax rewards vary widely based on your particular country, state, and local government, most of the ideas and green living tips found on Add It Up are action items we can all take to become more eco-friendly.

When shopping for toys for your kids or as gifts, here are a few great recycle, all natural, and/or green alternatives.  These great toys and games have received great customer reviews and are rated as eco-friendly.

Plan Toy Oval Xylophone	Kaloo Naturel Small Rabbit Organic
Idbid Waverly Eco-Friendly Starter Kit in Blue	PLAN CITY Parking Garage
Eco Dome Kit	KAPLA 280 Piece Block Set With Green Simple Architecture Book

Many of us love to cook, but did you know that going green in the kitchen involves much more than just incorporating organic vegetables into our meals?   It is very easy to overlook a few baking and cooking tips that can save you time, money, and energy.  Next time you bake, boil, or sear, consider these ways to make your food preparation green:

1.  Use the smallest appliance available - Before you pre-heat the oven, consider using a toaster oven or microwave.  Before you use the stand mixer, mix by hand or use a hand held version if possible.

2.  Seal it up – If you are baking, turn on the light instead of opening the door to check on food.   If you are using your stovetop, use lids on pots and your food will heat faster.

3.  Don’t let your food swim – Heat only as much water as you need to cook with.  Extra water will cause your food to cook more slowly.   If you are boiling water, you might try the microwave next time.  It will boil water faster and be more energy-efficient.

4.  Don’t be afraid of the off button – If you know your food will be done soon, switch off the stovetop or oven.  The remaining heat will finish cooking your food (Be sure that the food is throughly cooked before consuming though!).

It is often easy to reach for the standard deodorizers and air fresheners while picking up the groceries.  Did you know that there are eco-friendly alternatives that you probably already have in your pantry?  Here a few green options to leave your home smelling fresh and clean.

Before you consider purchasing a chemical-based air freshener, try this great eco-friendly alternative:

Mix 1/2 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1 cup of hot water. Pour into a spray bottle and use as a fresh alternative to air freshener.

For a bad-smelling garbage disposal try this natural deoderizer:

Run a few lemon, lime or orange peels through the disposal to get rid of odors.

If deodorizing won’t cut the odor, help remove food residue with this trick for cleaning your garbage disposal naturally.

Next time you are packing lunch or having a quick snack, perhaps would be a good time to consider the health and environmental aspects of one of the most popular lunchtime treats – the peanut butter sandwich.   From a health perspective, when you choose your peanut butter, look for one that has only peanuts and salt listed as ingredients to avoid unnecessary fat.  Other nut butters may also have a better mix of unsaturated vs. saturated fats such as almond butter.  The green part of the decision comes when opting whether to choose organic or regular peanut butter.   While the de facto standard is normally to choose the organic variety, there are a few facts that are necessary to consider in this case.

Organic peanut butters are, on the surface, better for the environment because they do not require pesticides that can seep into groundwater and otherwise pollute the environment.  Peanuts however, are particularly susceptible to a form of mold that can create aflatoxins.  Alfatoxins are a carcinogen that can lead to liver cancer.  Studies have shown that organic brands have significantly higher rates of alfatoxins than non-organic brands.  This may be one case in which it is best to look for brands that are ethically produced, and have low levels of fertilizer, but that allow fungicides in production.  Do consider, though, going organic or natural with the jelly.

Installing high-efficiency shower heads can reduce your water usage by thousands of gallons a year and can reduce your electric bill as well (less water will need to be heated).  With new green low flow/aerating models, you will not notice a difference in water pressure and with the added air, your pressure may feel higher than before.  To check the water efficiency of a shower head, look for it’s gallons per minute rating (GPM), the lower the better.  Some models also have a pause button to cut water flow while you’re shampooing or shaving.   Here are a few options that have gotten good reviews:

1.85 GPM – Delta Fluidics Adjustable Showerhead, Chrome #75152

1.6 GPM – Alsons Fluidics Showerhead, Chrome #655CBX

Installation of the showerheads takes only a few minutes of time to save a significant amount on your utility bills and help save our environment.  For more information on installation, check out one of these sites:

http://homerepair.about.com/od/plumbingrepair/ss/shwr_head.htm

http://www.expertvillage.com/video-series/437_install-shower-head.htm

Your home garden or farmers market is the ultimate source for home-grown organic produce.  During mid summer, there is an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables available that are healthy and chemical/pesticide/fertilizer free.  Here are some ideas for summer recipes based around your garden produce:

Garden Recipes

Peach Tart
Ratatouille
Roasted Corn with Chili Lime Butter
Broccolini with Grilled Zucchini & Summer Squash
Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Bruschetta
[Video]  Zucchini Bread
[Video]  Cream of Tomato Soup

Garden Cookbooks

Rosalind Creasy’s Recipes From The Garden: 200 Exciting Recipes from the Author of the Complete Book of Edible Landscaping
More Recipes from a Kitchen Garden
Fresh from the Garden: Cooking and Gardening Throughout the Seasons with 250 Recipes

Common household cleaners often contain chemical compounds and toxins.   Fortunately there are several safer and greener alternatives, both commercial and that you can make from common kitchen ingredients.  Here are a few eco-friendly cleaning ideas to help you make your own cleaners and reduce the use of chemicals in your home:

1.  DIY Window Cleaner – Mix 1/8 cup of vinegar with 8 ounces of water and a drop of dish detergent to replace your current streak-free glass cleaner.

2.  Suprising Do It All Cleaner – Leftover pop/soda/cola can be used for a variety of cleaning purposes.   It will act as another alternative glass cleaner, or can be used as a tile or toilet cleaner in the bathroom, no scrubbing required to remove stains.

3.  Tile Cleaner – Sprinkle baking soda over tile stains or make a paste by adding a small amount of water.  Wait a few minutes and rinse the residue away.  The paste can also be used as an oven cleaner, just apply and let it set, then scour tough spots away.

4.  Drain Cleaner – Unclog drains by pouring boiling water down them, or by adding baking soda and vinegar in equal part first, then pouring boiling water down the drain.

5.  Garbage Disposal Cleaning – Make ice cubes by mixing a few tablespoons of lemon juice into a cup of water and run them through the garbage disposal to remove odors.

Alternately, if you are looking for commercial organic or natural cleaning products, here are a few products that receive high reviews:

Seventh Generation Laundry Concentrate, White Flower & Bergamot Citrus, 50-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 6)
Green Earth Technologies 01205 Organic Glass Cleaner 22 oz
Seventh Generation Liquid Dish Detergent, Free & Clear, 48-Ounce Bottles (Case of 6)
Seventh Generation All-Purpose Cleaner, Free & Clear, 32 Ounce Bottles (Pack of

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