Going Green

I talked about composting at home on a previous entry, but I didn’t really go into detail about what sort of composting bins are out on the market for this sort of environmental-helping task. Of course there is a way to make your own as I stated in that previous posting, but if you don’t have the time, nor the creativity to get down and make one here are some other to keep in mind. There is one to fit every price range.

• Twin bucket recycler by Leifheit-($69.95)

• Trento Oko 19 + 11 by Hailo ($74-88)

• Pedal bin with bio bucket by Brabantia ($ 77-$88)

• Green Cone System by Solarcone ($105)

• Steel trash can by Oxo ($ 109-$119.99)

• Butterfly Recycler by Simplehuman ($179)

• Twin Touch bin by Brabantia ($195-200)

*Going Green Tip: Never sit with your car in idle. It puts out more carbon monoxide poisoning then you think. Do your part little by little by reducing your carbon foot print with little changes.

As I look for articles and research different ideas I come across a lot of fun and interesting natural products to cook with and organic goods for eating as well. Some of the main ones I come across are baking items, such as mixes, cupcake recipes, and even some oils that are all natural.

With the production and manufacturing of foods getting more and more better for the environment, it’s not hard to but earth-friendly products anymore.

Here are five earth-friendly choices to try:

•The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie: Dr. Oetker Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix. Toll House has nothing on this organic mix. It’s so packed with extra-large chocolate chips. Two 29g cookies have 95% organic ingredients, 120 calories, 20 from fat, and 110 mg sodium.

•The Best Brownie: The Gluten-Free Pantry Brownie.A hand-down winner with a chewy, not-too-cake-like texture. Dutch cocoa gives a deep chocolate flavor, rice flour makes it gluten-free. One 55 g brownie has no organic ingredients in it but it is gluten-free, 220 calories, 90 from fat, and 155 mg sodium.

•Best Yellow Cake Mix: Up Country Organics Yellow Cake Mix. Perfect for school cupcakes, this soft, spongy cake doesn’t have the cloying sweetness of conventional brands. Lovely Lemon color. Each 80 g slice has 95% organic ingredients, 240 calories, 70 from fat and 280 mg sodium.

•Best Oatmeal Cookie: Wholly Healthy Oatmeal Raisin. These wonderfully chewy cookies, with organic can sugar, and molasses con pre-sliced and oven ready. They also contain the plumpest raisins. One 35 g cookie has 22% organic ingredients, 150 calories, 60 from fat and 75 mg sodium.

*Going Green Tip: Try paying the bulk of your bills online. It not only is faster and even more secure than 10 years ago it also saves paper waste.

Polishes free of phthalates and toluene, which has been linked to birth defect, is the best way to go for that pro-painted look for your fingers and toes. Try these:

Acquarella Natural Nail Polish in Prissy. It’s water-based, nontoxic, and virtually odorless.

PeaceKeeper Nail Paint in Paint Me Tender donates all profits to health and human rights issues.

Honeybee Gardens WaterColors Nail Enamel in Desire. This polish is free of solvents, formaldehyde, and dyes, too.

*Green Living Tip: Take the pledge to eat locally and set the natural standard. By signing the Burt’s Bees “sign the bill to set the natural standard”, you will able to fully convince other brands and retailers of the need to adhere to a standard and provide much needed education for consumers in stores. For the good of your well-being. For the good of your friends and family. For the good of the environment. For The Greater Good. By taking the American Dream Pledge you vow to be a carbon conscious consumer. With this pledge you are stating you will eat locally and help reduce your carbon footprint on the world. Be sure to sign up under me so we can be a “degree of seperation of carbon conscious consumers.”

Java drinkers who guzzle three to six cups of coffee daily for three months will find that decaf, not regular, will boost nonesterified fatty acids in the blood, which can raise harmful LDL cholesterol. Because the decaffeination process can strip away flavor, companies often use stronger-tasting beans with high levels of fats. Coffee drinkers need to limit themselves to one cup of decaf or enjoy the real thing.

Also when possible, look for coffee that is triple certified as fair trade, organic, and shade grown at your local coffee shop.

Shade grown coffees are more ecologically and economically conservative, sport greater biodiversity, and are thus more “sustainable” than non-shade coffee farms. In terms of ecological conservation, shade trees serve as a sun screen for the coffee plants, provide nitrogen-rich mulch as their leaves fall and decompose on the ground, and aid soil moisture conservation, suppression of weed growth, and prevention of soil runoff during the rainy season. The result is a lessened if not non-existent need for chemical fertilizers and herbicides.Shaded coffee farms act as a sanctuary for resident and migratory bird and animal life. Since the mid 1970’s, rain forests and orchards have been decimated at an alarming rate in South and Central America. As the forest disappears, the shaded coffee farm becomes a sort of tropical refuge and sanctuary for the forest dwelling fauna, mainly birds. Experts from the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center have documented sightings of up to 150 different bird species in a shaded coffee farm; in un-shaded coffee farms, however, only five to twenty species were counted. While this is great news for members of the Audubon Society, it is actually significant for the coffee farmer because a diverse and large bird population can often be an excellent source of insect and pest control. In general, an increase in biodiversity results in a far lower risk of infestation, plague, and disease in the coffee farm. Thus, less need for insecticides - more sustainability for the farmer.

*Green Living Tip:  Always try to purchase cage-free eggs, there is a brand called Trader Joe’s that has the best reputation for showing compassion with their chickens that are egg-laying. The way that chickens are treated is animal abuse so the better quality life that chickens have, that are laying eggs, the better the egg for you to eat. Most hens are subjected to battery cages, stacked wire enclosures that typically cram up to eight birds per cage, depriving them of room to spread their wings, the day they are born. Let’s end this cycle and make it a better quality life for these birds. If we bought cage free Trader Joe’s brand it would keep up to 380,000 hens out of battery cages annually, reports the Humane Society of the United States.

If you have issues with someone in your household wasting water, or you, yourself tend to waste water in the shower, there is a solution. The shower-timer is not only earth-friendly as far as saving water, it is also quick, handy, and some models are very inexpensive to purchase. Get a shower timer and make long showers and water waste a thing of the past.

Here are a few site that carry the shower timer.

•Green Feet $4.95

•The Shower Manager $115

•The Shower Timer $399

•Nigel’s Eco Store $5

*The Earth and Me, Go Green Tip: Most of the pet products that are out on the market today that help control fleas and ticks are chalked full of harmful chemicals that you, your pet and the environment don’t need. So always choose natural pet care and natural, organic shampoos and pet fur conditioners. Your pet can not only do without the fleas they can do without the harsh chemicals on their coats, skin and internal organs as well.

Transforming Your Bedroom Into A More Peaceful Place….The Way It Should Be. Here Are 10 Ways How!

1. SOFTEN THE COLORS: Bedrooms are meant to be “yin rooms”, which facilitate passive, feminine spirit rather than generate active masculine yang energy. Yin rooms should be clam so you can walk into them and relax.

2. CLEAR THE CLUTTER: You need not sleep in a Zen den, but a clean, open space allows you to rest better at night. Throw out, or put away items you haven’t read, worn, or looked at in a few years. If you don’t love it and you haven’t used it in several years, get rid of it. Reducing clutter is modern day alchemy. Anything you don’t love only drags you down more.

3. PURIFY YOUR PILLOWS: One of the best ways to purify your sleeping space is also the cheapest. Replace your current pillow with an organic cotton or wool pillow or cushion. Your nose is right there breathing in fumes from the foam. For less than $60, you can make a significant change in your health.

4. TAME THE DECOR: Displaying photos of loved ones brings positive energy into a bedroom, as long as the wall décor is kept simple. Don’t put up too many pictures. One per wall is plenty, and avoid art with violent or chaotic imagery. In feng shui, the first thing you see when you wake up is very important. If it’s a great piece of modern art, but the imagery is jagged, that’s not great for your energy upon waking.

5. DIM THE LIGHTS: Streetlamps and other outdoor lighting can wreak havoc on your sleep cycle because melatonin, the hormone that helps govern sleep, responds to light and darkness. For the soundest snoozing, din your bedroom at night with a think, dark cotton canvas, and let in the morning sun when it’s time to wake; this will help you stay synchronized with your own body rhythms.

6. SEND IN THE SCENT: Filling the air with a luscious yet subtle fragrance makes your bedroon nearly spa-like. Add a few drops of calming essentail oil like neroli, rose, and/or jasmine to an aromatherapy diffuser. Or try a combination of chamomile, lavender, or clary sage.

7. CLEAR THE AIR: Keeping your windows open works wonders toward purifying indoor air and dust, mold, pet dander, and chemicals from household cleaners. Fresh outdoor air is essential for good health.

8. POWER DOWN: Television pictures tubes, wireless Internet connections, electrical wiring, and cell phones emit electromagnetic fields that may contribute to frequent waking, aches and pains, and muscle spasms. To reduce your EMF load, remove electric cords and devices from the bedroom or at least from within 8 to 10 feet of the bed. And disconnect Wi-Fi and multihandset cordless phones.

9. MODIFY THE MATTRESS: The bed is where your go to spend your key rejuvenating time, it’s where your wipe the slate clean. But you do know what’s underneath you. A typical foam matress is made from petrochemical derivatives with fire retardants and other chemicals added, all of which can be absorbed through the skin. A matress made of organic cotton, pure grown wool and natural rubber is prefered for a better nights sleep.

10. REMAKE YOUR BED: When shopping for new bedding, look for 100 percent natural fibers, ideally organic cotton or organic hemp. To avoid chemically treated linens, make sure your purchases aren’t labeled “permanant press”.

*Green Living Tip: Grow your own herbs inside your home. The plants will add happiness and harmony to your kitchen or bedroom and will also provide you with an abundance of natural, pesticide-free addings to your cooking.

The fact that organic food still makes up only 2 percent of total food sales, The Organic Center based in Rhode Island is a nonprofit organization that has a goal. They have taken on Mission Organic 2010, a campaign to get the word out about the health benefits and ecological benefits of organic foods. The Organic Center wants to get every consumer to increase their organic consumption by 10 percent when the year 2010 hits. You too can help in this effort by signing a pledge and publicly announcing your commitment to make at least a tenth of your eating choices to be organic.

The center also states that if the group achieves this goal, pesticides will disappear from 98 million, 8 ounces servings of drinking water and antibiotics and growth hormones from 20 million, 8 ounce servings of dairy milk.

I have already taken my pledge…… So sign the pledge with me and lets all make a change for the better.

*Going Green Tip: For those homeowners who appreciate the beauty and character of old wood, consider using reclaimed wood flooring. Planks and boards remilled from old railroad trestles, barns, houses, as well as factories offer distinctive, environmentally friendly options. Reclaimed wood is not only appealing it is also a conversation piece throughout your home.

A renewable building material from Asia, kirei (pronounced “kee-ray”) is made from stalks of the sorghum plant, a tall cereal grass used to make molasses and animal feed. The stalks, a waste material, are woven and pressed into panels using a formaldehyde-free, low-VOC adhesive, producing a lovely bamboolike pattern resembling a cross section of plant cells. As a lightweight substitute for wood, kirei board can be made into paneling, partitions, wall coverings, furniture, tabletops, countertops, cabinet doors, and flooring. Raw kirei boards, which take a standard wood finish, start at about $8 a square foot.

*Going Green Tip: Donating oul fur type garments and coats to a wildlife rehabilitation center is the best way to give back to nature. Wildlife rehabilitators will in turn use them for nesting material fro injured and orpahned animals. Fur is one of the leading materials used in human made clothing that causes the greatest controversy, so instead of being a named participant in wearing animal fur, be a named participant in helping wildlife by visitingThe Humane Society Of the United States and find out how you can help with your old furs.

WE all are guilty of this and other paper wasting feats just the same.

The next time you are at the ATM (automated teller machine), forget the receipt. Why do you need it? All your information that you are looking to know about your account is placed right on the screen for you. So next time you need to know something, such as account balance, check it out on the screen and save paper by not getting the paper receipt.

Other ways to save paper are:

Don’t get a receipt at toll booths.

Parking garages.

Check Stands. Unless you are buying for a gift or a large purchase that has some sort of warranty. Nix the receipt.

Use paper at home, front and back. This means 50% less waste. Monoculture farms, in which the paper is made from these cultured trees, take the place of forests that once provided homes for animals.

Gas pumps. Unless it’s a tax deductible purchase or a business purchase, why the receipt? The paper and pulp industry is the 3rd most polluting in North America.

Attempt to get your office on a “paperless office” practice. When messages need to be sent, either call that person or walk your message down instead of using a memo system. Americans throw away enough office paper to builkd a 12 foot high wall that can stretch from Los Angeles to New York

Save the massive amount of toilet paper from the environment. Use 2-ply and seperate it which means using less, or better yet….use a recycled toliet paper brand.

Use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins and reusable dish rags instead of paper towels.

Little changes can make a big difference. PLEASE DON’T WASTE PAPER!

*GreenLiving Tip: Lower energy use and save money by installing motion lights. Motion lights only come on when motion has activated the sensor inside and go off when the movement or motion has stopped being present in front of the sensor. Some motion lights are even sound activated. They are one way of saving energy, lower your cost to operate lighting around your home or business and also protect your property from harm. It’s a natural way to give more light to dark areas.

Just because it’s fall, doesn’t mean you can’t still sport a great cap on your head. With all the different types of caps on the market anymore, there are a lot to choose from, but make sure you wear one that is made from sustainable material, recycled material, or salvaged material. With that in mind you are sure to sport a cap with pride as well. Here are few that are great for those nippy, fall nights as well as the Earth.

Stewart + Brown uses only Fiar Trade Mongolian cashmere for this cap. They carry other apparel as well that is made from organic cotton, green fabric and they are known as the “Organic Pioneers”.

Schuessler Headwear’s Jepp Cap. It’s constructed from EcoRagg, a blend of wool and plastic that has been recycled. It’s a great cap and an Earth-conscious cap as well.

Of The Earth has been using recycled material, hemp, merino wool and Lyocell ( a plant-derived fiber woven from wood pulp) for years. With their take on sustainable material this hat is a great way to start the summer with.

With slavaged sweaters a lot of designers have taken the best approach and made a renewable resource with them. Same with Sue Eggen of Giant Dwarf Designs. She has taken this clothing means and made some unique headwear. By adding wool felt and vintage buttons onto slavaged sweater hats, she has made her mark in the design world, and they’re cool too.

*Going Green Tip: Going “gluten-free”, what does it mean to you? Gluten is a product found in wheat, barley, and rye. It is a protein that gives breads and cakes the ability to spring back to the touch. Americans have a lot of issues with digesting it. In more serious conditions it is considered celiac disease where the intestine can’t absorb nutrients, ultimately leading to malnutrition, chronic fatigue, and even infertility. Products that are gluten-free are made with a wheat-alternative, like corn or rice. For a directory of gluten-free products, click here.