Are You Ready to Be Clean and Green*? Even a tiny adjustment in each of our lives

[MzNov]

would eliminate hundreds of toxic problems in our air, water, landfills,.....

The topic of Global Warming is on everyone's mind these days, but how much are we really willing to change?

Can you give up dry cleaning? did you know that liquid laundry detergent is so much better than powder for our rivers and streams because liquids don't contain as much phosphorous? Do you know that some plants clean the air and can be used in your homes and other small spaces? Do you recycle everything you possibly can?

it is truly amazing how many tons of toxic chemicals we dump into our atmosphere every year, just from cleaning products!!!

Imagine, if everyone who is concerned about our Earth would change just one habit !!!


I don't work for Amazon.com or am I associated with anoyone who wrote this little gem of a book, but I have had it on my own bookshelf for years and try to do as many substitutes as I can. I can honestly say that baking soda, vinegar and lemon juice are 3 of the most amazing nnon-toxic cleaning substances on earth!



__________________

*Clean & Green
The Complete Guide to Nontoxic and Environmentally Safe Housekeeping

by Annie Berthold-Bond

http://www.amazon.com/Clean-Green-Non-Toxic-Environmentally-Housekeeping/dp/1886101019/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-9238267-5458357?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173040327&sr=8-1


**GORE 44***

[Patchuli]

1. Great post! Kicked and recommended!

I'm happy to say I went down your list and was able to say yes to all of them! I like the trend of markets now selling cotton bags to bring to the store with you when you shop to cut down on paper and plastic bag use too! I will check out the natural cleaning formulas, because frankly the chemical ones smell hideous!

[MzNov]

5. much better for our pets too !!! I always use vinegar to get out

hair ball smells.

:-)

[Patchuli]

26. I didn't know that!

Of course, I'm trying to rid my home of all carpeting a bit at a time. At least the hairballs don't stain the wood floor as long as I get it up in a reasonable amount of time. A certain cat ukked up a bit of a houseplant this morning on the floor, meaning he was up on the kitchen counter like a thief! I'll never get why they do they and then throw up?!

[badgerpup]

49. Cats do like a bit of greenery in their diets...

...especially if they are indoor kitties.
I've seen mine very carefully choose a blade of grass and then chew up and down it, leaving the blade in place, but munched.

Try some oat grass...you could either get it grown at a pet store or do it yourself with WHOLE oats from a health food store.
Let it get about six inches high before you let them at it..and you may want to limit how much time they're allowed access, because they will probably mow it down like goats!

[Shallah Kali]

53. Wheat, Oats, Rye, Barley all can be grown in a pot for cats

Mine rip it out right out of the pot if I go too long between growing them a batch. It is a rare thing for anyone to upchuck later.

[Patchuli]

62. I'll try it for the little darlings but I bet

that my little old guy (14) this year will still go after the potted things!

[nam78_two]

2. Thanks- great post-K&R.nt

[nosmokes]

3. hey,i can vouch for that book! it is a gem.

we've been using Dr Bronners for laundry for a while now. it's organic and as far as i can tell it cleans as well in cold water as anything else we've used. and it's way cool having the minty smell on the clothes!

[MzNov]

7. Zeolite is an amazing substance! Those bags you buy that look

like little white rocks in the mesh are actually zeolite, which cleans the air !! I love them.

[patricia92243]

14. wHAT type of store would they be sold in?

[MzNov]

18. Bed Bath & Beyond has them. That's a BLUE store BTW. nt

[patricia92243]

19. Great! Thanks!

[GenDem]

4. We have been consciously working at it in our household

We have changed about half of our light bulbs to 9 and 15 watt fluorescent bulbs. We recycle just about everything we can. We compost and have reduced our garbage down to one small bag a week.

Our changes have come one step at a time, and now it has become routine.

We are driving a 6 cylinder van until it won't run anymore, and then we are going to buy a Toyota Prius.


If everyone started by replacing one light bulb. That could be a very easy place to start.

[MzNov]

6. In CA, people drive 2 blocks to the grocery store. If they would walk those 2 blocks

can you imagine how much gasoline that would save in 1 year??

not such a big sacrifice !


gorgeous dog!

[Nikia]

15. Depends on how much you buy

When I lived about a quarter mile from a grocery store, I walked there to buy small purchases. Usually when I went for bigger purchases, I used another grocery store. Sometimes, however, once I got there I saw that they had good deals on several items and I ended up buying more than I intended. Walking a quarter mile with too many groceries can seem like an eternity.
Yes, people should walk when they can, but driving a couple of blocks to buy groceries isn't always as ridiculous as it sounds.

[Shallah Kali]

39. That is when personal grocery carts come in handy -

see some examples here:
http://www.nextag.com/grocery-cart/search-html

[kestrel91316]

29. I chose my current home in part because it's 1 block from a large

grocery. I have to move soon. I really want a place that's 4 blocks from my office and 1 block from a different large grocery (same chain, lol). Hope they have a vacancy when I am ready to move.

Been doing most everything you mentioned for many years now. It pisses me off to see how many people in my area live like they truly don't care about the future, though.

[LuckyLib]

8. Another way: refuse a bag for purchases. Put them in your shopping bag, purse, or carry them.

As long as you have your receipt, you're good. Keeps the plastic and useless shopping bags to a minimum.

[prolesunited]

28. I've been doing that

and I sure do get a lot of strange and befuddled looks. I just say I have enough plastic bags at home (which are re-used for doggie droppings and garbage) and that they are bad for the environment.

What really surprises me is how few people bring their own bags to the health food store.

[magellan]

38. Some supermarkets sell cloth bags at the checkout for your groceries

They're around $5 a pop, but worth it to avoid the plastic bags. We bought one last week to use with two grocery totes we got in the UK. They all fold up and hide away neatly till it's time to shop again.

[Beaverhausen]

50. YES!!! I bring canvas bags to most stores

some give me a nickle back, Trader Joe's enters me in their weekly drawing for $25 of groceries, and others just think I'm crazy!

[oldtime dfl_er]

9. I can do better than I am

I don't drive (don't own a car), I recycle, I use the "good" lightbulbs, I recycle some things. But I'm not as good as I could be about cleaning products, so thank you for this info!

http://www.cafepress.com/scarebaby/2424974

[MzNov]

10. I'm working on the lightbulb thing...

thanks! :-)

[mrbassman03]

55. Any ideas for convincing picky roommates to switch to CFLs?

My roommates refuse to give up traditional lightbulbs, as they are convinced that CFLs will make everything in the house look like a hospital... I am contemplating buying a few and seeing if they notice the difference. Any other ways I can convince them to make the switch?

[MzNov]

59. I like your idea of just replacing them, but otherwise

I don't know how to make people be as enthusiastic as we are. You could let some green books lying around for them to see.

:shrug:

[ClassWarrior]

11. Just switched a bunch of bulbs to CFLs...

...and changed out a three-bulb fixture for a single-bulb one.

More to come!

NGU.

[niyad]

12. use nothing BUT baking soda, vinegar and hydrogen peroxide for cleaning EVERYTHING (also allergic to

various cleaning compounds, since I was 12), heven't bought anything that needs to be dry-cleaned in eons, walk everywhere I can or use public transit when I have to, recycle everything I can, and an active part of the "buy nothing new this year" movement (devoted shopper of goodwill, salvation army, etc0 replacing lightbulbs properly as they go out.

[MzNov]

13. wow, good for you !

:applause: :applause:

[Nikia]

16. Do large loads of laundry when possible

If you are going to use the dryer, do back to back loads.
People who are compulsive about washing clothes waste a lot of energy. Doing laundry only 1 or 2 days a week might sound lazy but really it makes good sense.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

25. Another trick that I learned is to open the dryer and let the warm/

hot humidified air out part way thru the dry cycle. It provides humidity, in the static electricity winter months, and the second part of the dry cycle is reduced after the much of the humidity is released thru the open dryer door.

I was replacing the Laundry room floor, and used the Laundromat, where the continual use of the dryers provided further documentation that this little trick, cuts your electric bills by allowing the humidity to escape the dryer confines.

[Shallah Kali]

36. There is a special pipe attachment one can install to do the same thing

I saw one for under $10 at the local hardware store. Lacking any sort of handywoman skill I didn't buy and attempt to install it myself. That is OK since I hang everything outside on a line or inside on a drying rack except for my comforter in the winter. That I partially dry then put it on the rack.

[RB TexLa]

17. liquid laundry detergent for suits?

[MzNov]

20. Green dry cleaners are becoming available......

http://www.ktvu.com/consumer/2075391/detail.html

[niyad]

21. don't know whether it is covered in the book, but one can wash silk, rather than having it dry

cleaned (which actually ruins the silk) hand wash GENTLY, squish excess water out GENTLY and lay on large towel, roll up to absorb most moisture and then hang to finish drying. I do this with my wool clothing as well.

[MzNov]

22. yes, I wash silk all the time in cold water.

I'm more careful with wool but it still can be done. The "Dry Clean Only" label is a myth.

[Nicole]

23. I am there already.

I've been working on it since the 70's so I'm pretty clean & green right now.

Most of the trash I generate is recycled instead of thrown away.

I walk or ride the bus 90% of the time.

All but 2 bulbs are CFLs.

I haven't had anything dry cleaned in 5 years or longer.

I use vinegar & baking soda to clean most things. I don't even use vinegar for windows & mirrors anymore. I've found water on a micro fiber cloth works just as well. Those things are amazing!

I use canvas totes while shopping, no plastic bags for me.

[suziedemocrat]

24. Wow - you made me feel good about myself!

I never dry clean anything because I am cheap. I won't buy clothes that require it. I also use liquid detergent because I'm afraid the powder doesn't dissolve that well. I'm out here in Massachusetts where they give you 5 cents for each returned bottle, so I've been recycling out here too. Maybe I'll get the book and find out I'm doing other good things by accident.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

27. I have started walking to almost everywhere that I can also. It reduced

my blood pressure substantially and saved me the prescription drug cost as well. I have a huge back pack that I take to the grocery store, as well as a hand-shoulder held bag. I am not 100% plastic bag free, because if you are walking a mile, and there is leakage from various types of purchases, well, that could prompt you to drive. However, my grocery store does recycle those plastic bags, and the bin is always over flowing (Shop Rite).

I live in a condo, second floor, heat rises, everything is smaller and more noticeable. I usually do laundry at night, in the winter the dryer heats your house and in the summer, the only heat I want in my house is generally at night, when it is usually cooler. I plan my washer/dryer schedule around the weather forecast.

I do the same with oven cooking, if it is gonna be cold/cooler, I plan on making things in the oven or on the stove and freezing them so there is a minimal warming effect during hotter times.

I actually hand wash most of my dry cleaning labeled clothes, I think the label is because some fools will put 100% cotton, wool etc in the dryer and shrink them. I do however hang them in the shower to air dry.

Oh, another thing that I do is to open the dish washer and let the heat washed/dried items air dry.

I use night lights after dark to light the way to the kitchen, bathroom, etc., I do also have CFL bulbs in almost every light source, but nightlights are like 4 watts.

There's more, but, over time you forget the things you've done. It is cool, to always learn new ways to make life better, but it does require the time to think of such things, that, I feel is the problem today, TIME.

There are so many little things that help, if we only had the time to think about it!

[badgerpup]

51. It's the bulbs...

...the ones I've got don't give enough LIGHT for some of the stuff I'm doing, and I can't find anything over 60 watt comparable. I need 75 at least, and 100 is better.

Otherwise, I think I do OK...recycle tin, aluminum and cardboard, compost kitchen garbage...what's drycleaning?...and when I drive, it's usually once a week- all my errands in one swell foop.

I wish there was a facility here for recycling plastic and glass, cos I'd do that, too.

[suziedemocrat]

60. We're also getting a non-motorized people powered push reel lawn mower

I've always thought motorized lawn mowers were scary!

link: http://www.peoplepoweredmachines.com/faq-environment.htm

EPA Statistics: 5% of Nations Air Pollution

Each weekend, about 54 million Americans mow their lawns, using 800 million gallons of gas per year and producing tons of air pollutants. Garden equipment engines, which have had unregulated emmissions until very recently, emit high levels of carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides, producing up to 5% of the nation's air pollution and a good deal more in metropolitan areas.

A conventional lawn mower pollutes as much in an hour as 40 late model cars (or as much as as much air pollution as driving a car for 100 miles).

Ozone Alert Days

Since this equipment is used mostly during the hot summer months, when ground level ozone is the highest, it causes problems for asthmatics and aggravates other respiratory conditions. When weather forecasts indicate ground-level ozone (the main component of smog) could reach an unhealthy level, environmental agencies will call an Ozone Action Day. Standard ozone alert day advice is to delay or curtail all gas mowing.

Gardeners Spill More than the Exxon Valdez

And speaking of gas, the EPA claims that 17 million gallons of fuel, mostly gasoline, are spilled each year while refueling lawn equipment. That's more than all the oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez, in the Gulf of Alaska.

EPA statistics for Replacing Gas Power Lawn Mowers

A typical 3.5 horsepower gas mower, for instance, can emit the same amount of VOCs -- key precursors to smog -- in an hour as a new car driven 340 miles, say industry experts.

The replacement of every 500 gas mowers with non-motorized mowers would spare the air

* 212 pounds of hydrocarbons
(smog ingredient)
* 1.7 pounds of nitrogen oxides
(smog ingredient)
* 5.6 pounds of irritating particles 1,724 pounds of carbon dioxide

[tnlefty]

30. I'm a member of Co-op America and I received a neat

cataloge yesterday from www.gaiamliving.com and it has some neat products in it this time. Non-toxic cleaners, toilet paper from recycled paper products, organic cotton clothing and bedding and some bamboo bedding that I'm intrigued by.

I also received another that contains organic food products along with housewares from the countries who participate. I'm doing what I can to try to help! :hi:

[MzNov]

31. Thanks tnlefty, will defintely check out your link.

Lots of other stuff out there to explore!

:hi:

I like those little wax paper bags you can get in stores like Whole Foods. They don't have zippers, but they are so much more earth friendly! And the brown baking cups.

[Jamastiene]

32. I don't dry clean anything.

I never have, but then again, us po' folks do tend to use our washing machines at home and deal with cleaning that way as a rule.

[dapper]

33. I'm almost there....

I purchased a new home last year, the house is made with engineered wood (trusses, plywood)
I believe just about all of the appliances are Energy Star appliances, the heating and cooling is 90+ Energy Efficient.
I use E85 (ethenol) when I can.

...waiting to run out of my standard light bulbs so I can start using the energy effecient bulbs

But wait, I was looking at flooring and I found some nice looking bamboo flooring which I will soon have installed in my living room. Although it is considered "Green", I'm wondering/conflicted as it is a plant that we are chopping up... but I presume it is better than chopping down trees. My wife wanted a fireplace and we are having a natural gas fireplace installed, not neccesarily green but figured I would be honest.

However, I do compost and plan to plant several trees at a local park come spring. They also have a trail that gets quite muddy which I am planning to add some green to the area to soak up the mud and to prevent the trail from running off into the nearby stream. Last year I planted a tree on Earth day.

I will admit, it is a work in progress for me but I am always looking for more ways to conserve and protect the environment.

Dapper

[dapper]

34. and plants in the house!

I figured with the new house, having plants to absorb the chemicals would be a good thing.

Dapper

[InvisibleTouch]

40. Bamboo grows like crazy, so...

...it's a very sustainable source! I bet it will look great in your living room.

[Shallah Kali]

35. Annie Bond has a regular Healthy Living column at Care2.com - link

http://www.care2.com/healthyliving

[MzNov]

61. I didn't realize she is the same person.

I was hooked up to Care2 forever for non-toxic yard alternatives.... I missed her. Thanks a bunch !!!

:hi:

[BlackVelvet04]

37. Did you know that professional cleaners

use vinegar in water and newspaper to clean windows? Re-using newspapers for washing windows saves on paper towels.

[InvisibleTouch]

41. Thanks for the book link!

I will add it to my list the next time I buy from Amazon. I've been binging on books lately, so the next fix shouldn't be too far away. :)

[wovenpaint]

42. Recipe for homemade laundry detergent powder

This recipe works well!

1 large box Borax powder
4 regular size boxes of baking soda (look at weight to use the larger box...i think it's 2 larger boxes)
1 bar Ivory or vegetable base soap -or homemade, grated

I like to use drops of lemongrass oil for the fragrance, probably about 1 teaspoon

Store in airtight container and use about 1/4 per load of clothes

It doesn't have all that stuff in it that can actually make your clothes dingier-like optical brighteners, for example

:hi: enjoy!

[pitohui]

43. hell i gave up dry cleaning in 1982

seriously, the day i learned how to hand wash/hang/JUDICIOUSLY "fluff" my clothes was a happy day, i've saved thousands in what i would have paid to "dry clean only" over the past 25-plus years

[Psst_Im_Not_Here]

44. Vinegar is a great fabric softener

Just fill your fabric softener dispenser with the same amount of vinegar as fabric softener. It removes any left over detergent and leaves your clothes soft, and smelling clean, not vinegary. Just an FYI.

[catgirl]

45. Here's a great way to clean area rugs

An antique rug expert told me this.

Lay out your rug on your driveway, spray the whole thing it with your hose,
use a wet vac to wipe up stains and excess water, then lay it out in the sun
to dry. He said it will take out most stains (urine being the only stain that will
never come out).

As far as errands where you have to drive...do them all at once and you'll save
gas and time.

[The Stranger]

46. K&R

[gollygee]

47. Thank you for posting this

this is definitely an area where I can improve and I appreciate the sources of information.

[MzNov]

48. **Weed Killer***

one of my favorite uses for vinegar is a weed killer. Imagine if the weed killer companies were replaced by natural remedies. AND it's pet friendly too, which was one of my major reasons for the research.


1 gallon vinegar
1 cup salt
few drops dish soap

stir


pour directly on weeds

it kills and softens the roots so you can just dig the weed out with hardly any problem. I have a yard of nasty dandelions and this works really well. Just don't pour it on anything you want to keep!

:hi:

[Shallah Kali]

52. Or find someone who loves dandelion greens who will eat them up for you

My grandparents love dandelion greens and the leaves of young milkweed so every year I harvest them from my yard for them. I have seen dandelion greens in the grocery store imported from France for $3 or more for 1/2 pound :crazy: One woman's weed is another's delicacy!

[MzNov]

56. They could live forever on just my back yard. :-)

I wonder if it's the same weed?

The people who lived in the house before me neglected the yard for over 2 years. The weeds were over 5 feet tall. What fun it was to clear. The stalks get like trees, they are so thick.

Anyway, that's a good idea.

:bounce:

[mrbassman03]

54. Use websites to exhange/find/donate items...

I just found this one: gigoit.com
And of course, craigslist.

[MzNov]

57. that's a great site. thanks.

[MzNov]

58. Here's a green dry cleaner site to find a cleaner in your city.

http://www.greenearthcleaning.com/consumer/rostersearch.asp