When my family and I began this journey going green, we started with simple recycling. I am telling you- it is really addictive. We began to notice that trips to the alley for the garbage dwindled as the trips to the recycling center increased. Good, but I knew we could do better. The next step was creating ways to discard even less and begin reusing materials more.
Paper was the easiest material in the beginning so we incorporated the following changes in our daily routine:
- Created a recycled paper bin where we went to get paper for art projects, making cards, wrapping presents, packaging supplies for my ebay business, scrap paper, pretend post offices, etc.
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No one wants to be greeted with bugs in their home. They create everything from fear to annoyance to health hazards. So let’s look green and natural ways to get rid of them!
There are two key things you want to avoid:
Keep your rooms free of clothes and materials on the floor that provide great places for bugs to move around unnoticed. Don’t leave food out and keep your counters clean.
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What started as a joke with our neighbor has grown into a tiny obsession in our home. Months ago on a warm spring day our neighbor chatted with my husband Andy and I about the surrounding homes running their AC full tilt so early in the season. Since our windows were open, we could hear the incessant humming of the machines. Who wouldn’t long for the cool, refreshing breeze wafting into their home after a long winter we wondered.
Once the conversation turned to greening our lives, I made a wager with my neighbor that he would turn on his AC before us.
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Our babies are born with a chemical body burden.
The Environmental Working Group (“EWG”) found that umbilical cord blood from ten randomly selected babies contained 287 chemicals of the 413 for which tests were performed. Of those 287 chemicals, 180 cause cancer in humans or animals, 218 are toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 208 cause birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests.
This potential chemical body burden in a newborn baby is scary for new parents. It was scary for me. You welcome your child to the world, and already you feel as if you have failed.
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Summer is upon us and as the temperatures rise, so does our need to stay cool. Is it possible to beat the heat without (gasp) air conditioning? As someone who has been living in an A/C-free house for most of her life, I can tell you that it’s not always easy or pleasant, but I have picked up many techniques along the way to keep myself and my family as cool and comfortable as possible. Going without air conditioning might take a little getting used to and some creativity, but with my tips below, you will soon be on the path to living a cooler, greener summer.
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Green cleaning is all the rage these days, and for good reason–it doesn’t endanger you or the environment. However, it may seem daunting to make the switch when you already have a cabinet full of commercial cleaning products, and you don’t want to spend the money for special pricey green cleaners. The good news is you don’t need to buy special green cleaners. You can get rid of the harsh chemicals and fumes, and get started on green cleaning by making your own cleaning products. It’s easy! In fact, you probably already have most of the ingredients you will need to make your own natural cleaners.
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