Make Green Come True

If you are addicted to bottled water, one easy way to green your life is to make a simple switch to reusable water bottles and a filtration system. Water filters are available online (see below) or in your local hardware, department, or bed and bath store. Eco-friendly Pitcher filters are great for travel too. Some are available in small sizes that fit in your suitcase for fresh water from any hotel room. Just put some ice in the top before filling for a cold drink anytime. Also, faucet filters are widely available and easy to install. In less than 15 minutes you can attach the filter and switch between filtered or tap water. Flavored water filters are also available to encourage you to drink more H2O. Don’t haul home or throw another bottle away!

Water Filtration Pitchers

Brita Slim Pitcher
Brita Deluxe Water Pitcher
PUR 2 Stage Oval Water Pitcher with LED Indicator #CR-6000C
Brita Ultramax Dispenser

Sink Filters

PUR 3 Stage Vertical Faucet Mount with Filter
PUR 3 Stage Horizontal Faucet Mount with Filter

Flavored Water Filters

PUR 2 Stage Water Pitcher with Flavor Cartridge #CR-5000
PUR 3 Stage Horizontal Faucet Mount with Flavored Cartridge #FM-5050C

Next time you are shopping for groceries, there are several ways to be both healthy and environmentally conscious.  Here are a few ideas to consider:

1.  Buy Fresh – Fresh foods, generally found on the outside perimeter of your grocer, have been processed less and generally are more eco-conscious.  Consider the lifespan of foods.  For example, compare and apple to a box of crackers.  The apple has been grown, harvested, minimally processed (adding a sticker and being packaged for transport) and delivered.  The cereal contains several ingredients, each of which may have been processed.  Each of these ingredients had to be produced, delivered to a factory, combined, baked, bagged/boxed, and then delivered to your local store.  The less processing required for foods, the less wasted electricity and raw materials.

2.  Buy Local – Locally grown fruits and vegetables are not only fresher and better tasting, but they are better for our planet.   The less distance your produce has traveled, the less fuel has been used and the less exhaust fumes have been released into our atmosphere.  If you cannot find local produce at your grocery store, visit a farmers market in your area.

3.   Try Meatless Dishes -The production of meat harms the environment in several ways.  It takes several pounds of grain or corn to help animals gain a pound.  Farming byproducts are also a contributor to air, water, and soil pollution.  Whether you are vegetarian, vegan, or a proud carnivore there are many alternatives that are nutritionally dense and delicious.

4.  Bring Your Own Bags – Plastic bags are harmful to the environment (more on that coming later), bring your own reusable bags or at the least recycle your plastic bags in the drop boxes at the entrance of most grocery stores.

5.  Combine Trips – Make one or two well-planned trips a week to the grocery store rather than returning intermittenly for a few small items.  You will save time and gasoline, and help our air quality in the process.

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

There has been a lot of recent press about greenwashing due to the release of  Six Sins of Greenwashing.  This may leave some newly green individuals wondering exactly what is greenwashing and how to avoid it.  You may have noticed the cards in hotels asking you if you would like to help save the earth by not having your sheets and towels washed daily.  These claim to reduce water and detergent use, helping you save the planet by simply checking a box on the card.  In an article that examines whether the motive behind these cards was to truly be eco-friendly or to simply save money, Jay Westerveld coined the term.

Greenwashing means to deceive customers into believing that a product is green or eco-friendly.  The product may have green qualities that are instead offset by harmful qualities (i.e. an organic product in a bottle that cannot be easily recycled), it may have claims that are not backed by evidence (all-natural or organic products that cannot prove their status), or the claims on the product may make no difference (i.e. products that have two lines, one more expensive line claiming to be toxin-free when both are always toxin free anyway).   Below is a list of signs of greenwashing:

1.  Vague language

2.  Claims that cannot be proven or disproven.

3.   Non-eco-friendly products that claim to be green.

If you are shopping and are surprised that a product is green, then you may have encountered a greenwashed product.  Researching the merits of a product or looking for products that are certified by a reputable agency (i.e. USDA Certified Organic), and considering all aspects of greenness of a produt (is it recycled, is it recyclable, does it have minimal packing waste, are there toxins, is it organic, etc.) will help you make an educated decision.

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwash

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

Tags: green recycling environment relocatingmoving Save the Earth Save the Planet

While many neighborhoods have unspoken competitions for the greenest yard, having a plush lawn often involves several not so environmentally friendly tactics.  Sprinkler systems often waste water and lawn chemicals can leak toxins into our groundwater or remain on the plants in our lawn, posing a potential hazard to pets and children.  Here are a few idea on how to keep your yard green, while saving our world.

1.  Save water – if you live in an area with inconsistent rainfall, set up a reserve to catch water (i.e. a bucket placed to catch drain-off from your gutters) and use it to water plants and flowers during droughts.

2.  Sprinkle wisely – Sprinkler systems offer a lot of convenience for homeowners, but can also create a lot of waste.  Water plants in the morning or at night to prevent evaporation.  Longer less frequent watering is more effective than short bursts of water several times a week and saves time as well.  You might also consider installing a smart sprinkler system.

3.  Say no to chemicals – use lawn clippings, compost material or natural/organic fertilizers to help your lawn stay healthy rather than harmful fertilizers.

Natural Fertilizers:

Green Light Organic Super Bloom – 1 lb #97001
Ringer All Natural Lawn Restore 10-2-6 OMRI Listed – 42 lb. #9328
2 Lbs of Azomite – Organic Trace Mineral Soil Additive Fertilizer

Other Green Lawn Ideas:

Alternatives to a Green Lawn
Product Review: Scott’s Reel Mower
Organic Pesticides
Making Your Yard Smart
Your Yard

Tags: green recycling environment relocatingmoving Save the Earth Save the Planet

Eco-friendly shoppers know the dangers of plastic bags and seek out environmentally-friendly products.  They are typically armed with the right information to make wise product choices, but one question is often overlooked in the transition to a green lifestyle: how to pay?  Credit cards can be green if you following these tips:

1.  No paper please – Ask that your bills be sent directly to your email.  Paperless statements are ubiquitous now throughout the credit industry.  It will not only save paper, but it will also be more convenient.

2.  Pay your bill without paper – When you are paying your paperless statement, keep your end of the transaction green as well by using electronic drafts from your checking account.  You will save paper by not using a check and envelope, and you’ll save fuel and air pollution by not requiring your mail carrier to deliver the payment.

3.  Reward the Earth - Several options are available on reward cards.  Many are now offering credits to charities and conservation funds.  Search to see if your favorite green cause offers a credit card with rewards.

Tags: green recycling environment relocatingmoving Save the Earth Save the Planet

Moving can be time consuming and a lot of work.  With the combination of lots of boxes and packing materials and the actual transport of your furniture and other items, it can also be not so environmentally friendly.  Here are a few tips to help make your next move as green as possible:

1.  Clear Out Before You Move Out – Every item that you can donate or recycle before you move is one less you will have to use packing materials to contain and fuel to move.

2.  Use Recycled Packing Materials – Never buy new boxes.  There are several places to find materials for packing.  As your friends and family to save newspapers to use to protect breakable items.  Use clothes, towels, and blankets to protect other fragile items.  You can obtain free boxes from a variety of sources.  Check with a local grocery or department store, they often have tons of leftover boxes each night after they stock shelves.  These can be collapsed and brought home for your move.  You might also want to check Craigslist or FreeCycle for free packing materials or check with a friend or neighbor who has recently moved.  At worst case, reused boxes and packing material can be rented from many movers.

3.  Recycle Your Leftover Packing Materials -After you have moved, collapse boxes and save packing materials to pass on to someone else you know.  If you don’t know anyone who needs packing materials, you can list your items on  Craigslist or FreeCycle as well.  Recycle anything that is beyond reuse.

4.  Clean the Green Way – After you have arrived at your destination, be sure to use earth-friendly cleaning products:

Easy and Inexpensive Organic Cleaner
Clean to be Green
Product Review: Little Green Earth-Friendly Machine

After you have made yourself at home, you can begin to think about other green options such as reducing junk mail and installing programmable thermostats.  Have a great move!

Tags: green recycling environment relocatingmoving Save the Earth Save the Planet

We all know that you can recycle paper, aluminum cans, and other household waste, but there are many surprising items that may not seem to be immediately recyclable.  Shoes, glasses, and batteries can all be recycled or repurposed through special programs.

1.  Shoes – Nike sponsors the Reuse-a-Shoe Program that turns old athletic shoes into playgrounds and basketball courts around the world. You can also send still-usable shoes to programs such as Shoe4Africa, which pairs them with recipients across Africa who are in need of shoes.  Here is a  longer list of charitable organizations for shoes.

2.  Glasses – If you have old glasses and you would like to help others see, then the Lion’s Club offers a way to do just that.  They accept prescription glasses, nonprescription glasses, and sunglasses for recycling.  Give the Gift of Sight also offers a similar program.

3.  Batteries – Thankfully the auto industry has paved the way for car battery recycling.  98% of automotive batteries are now recycled.   If you would like to recycle other types of batteries, Battery Solutions collects nickel cadmium and lithium batteries for recycling nationwide.  For future battery replacement, you might also want to be green by using rechargable batteries.

With the combination of rising gas prices and inflation, many people are taking time to enjoy tourism closer to home.  Some are turning to home improvements and skipping vacation all together, taking a “staycation” rather than a vacation.  A green architect in Atlanta has taken the concept of home as a retreat one step further.

Peter Bahouth has constructed his dreamhouse retreat in the trees.  Bahouth’s home, shown in a video tour here,has a  bedroom and living/dining room area and is a perfect relaxing escape in his yard.  He build the house with minimal distrubance to the trees and nature around him.  You can look up at a towering tree through the skylighting while relaxing and enjoying the serenity of nature.  Next steps:  Discover more treehouse across the country, and around the world:

Treehouses of the World

The Treehouse Book

or build your own:

Treehouses & Playhouses You Can Build