Going Green

• Tammy Fender Antioxidant Crème: Made with all-natural ingredients and when applied help to balance out and clarify the thinking. Some of the ingredients include, lavender oil, rose hip seed oil, grape seed oil and calendula flower oil just to name a few. The crème is sold for $95 and contains collagen-building properties and the combination of ingredients helps to filter UV sunlight as well. Pick yourself up a 1/9 oz container here off the Tammy Fender site today.• Stella McCartney Shoes: Stella McCartney has been a long time vegetarian and felt the need to put this thinking practice into your company as well. The cruelty that animals endure is heart-wrenching and with that she has made her shoe line and other accessories animal-free. You can find a huge collection on her shoes on her website and they range from casual, to dress, to up-scale dress. Read more about her green-efforts under the “green-me” tab on the main page of the site.

Hundreds of thousands of plastic bags end up in landfills worldwide. Not to mention in our oceans and streams which threatens the lives of sea creatures? When it comes to plastic many use them out of convenience, but there is an alternative to the plastic issue. It comes in the form of a canvas bag.

You may be thinking this is nothing new right? But, the canvas being referred to is the Eco Bags. They are smaller bags which can be used for fruits and veggies at the local market and even for bulk items as well.

These bags are made from 100% unbleached organic cotton and offer the Fair Trade/Fair Labor/ Fair Wage certification. You can use them for much more than just your fruits and veggies too. You can use them for toiletries when camping, trash in your car, to holding crackers and cookies on road trips, to many, many other ways.These bags are a great way to save on plastic at the supermarket and can add to your going green routine. It’s easy to go green and it will save you money in the long run as well.Find a full selection of Eco Bags here and pick up a few reusable water bottles as well. Eco Bags for good!

After sitting through an instruction class given by the Oregon Environmental Council held at the Oregon Garden, I soon realized that cleaning doesn’t have to be a health risk.  I think the hardest thing about cleaning your home is breathing in all the toxic fumes given off by the cleaning agents you are using to clean with.  Thanks to the instruction class I now have a better way of cleaning and it’s a greener one at that.  Here is a few better cleaning practices I have now adopted thanks to the class.

1.  All-Purpose Cleaner:  Many all-purpose cleaners on the market contain either a bleach or ammonia and you don’t need either one to get the job done.  Instead is you mix 1/4 cup white vinegar, 2 tsp. borax, 3-1/2 cups hot water, 1/4 cup liquid castile soap, and a few-20 drops of your favorite essential oil together you can have yourself a great all-purpose cleaner that is better for you and the environment.  Mix all the ingredients together and add the castile soap last.  Spray in surfaces such as your fridge, counters and even on the kitchen and bathroom sink.

2.  Carpet Spot Removers:  We all have seen the dreaded spots on the carpet in the most eye catching places in out home, but the cleaners that are on the market don’t’ offer a very planet and lung friendly spray or scrub.  Instead is you blot the spot immediately with water and sprinkle a bit of baking soda, cornstarch or borax on the area and let it dry, you will end up treating the stains just as a toxic cleaner would.  Rinse the spot with club soda and then vacuum up.

3.  Stopped-Up Drain:  This one is a tricky one, because many of us are impatient and don’t want to wait for the drain to be unclogged, but if we just gain some patience we can have an unclogged drain and a mixture that isn’t damaging on the environment either.  Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda in and around the drain opening.  Follow with a cup of white vinegar, wait about 10 minutes then flush with boiling water.  Repeat until the drain is unclogged.

These tips are just a few that were covered in the instruction class.  To learn more visit the Oregon Environmental Council’s website here.