by Marissa Lenting

Cleaning green.

These days everyone is cutting back on extra costs in their lifestyles. Keeping your home clean shouldn’t cause a pain in your wallet, but the cleanliness of your home shouldn’t suffer either.

A great new way to clean your home is through these handmade recipes, and there is no chemistry set needed! Just mix a few simple ingredients together and you’ve got your very own green-clean team! It is a great way to look out for the environment and your family, as they are kid and pet friendly! These homemade recipes are also a lot more cost effective than your typical chemical-based cleaners.

Try using vinegar for many of your home cleaning remedies. Don’t worry about your home smelling like vinegar, the smell disappears when it dries. A bottle of vinegar will cost around $3.80 for 128 oz. and a 26 oz. bottle of window cleaner can cost $4.79! That’s more than a $20.00 difference! Some simple and common uses for vinegar are:

Bathroom - Clean the bathtub, toilet, sink, and countertops. Use pure vinegar in the toilet bowl to get rid of rings. Flush the toilet to allow the water level to go down. Pour the undiluted vinegar around the inside of the rim. Scrub down the bowl. Mop the floor in the bathroom with a vinegar/water solution. The substance will also eat away the soap scum and hard water stains on your fixtures and tile. Make sure it is safe to use with your tile.

Kitchen - Clean the stovetop, appliances, countertops, and floor.

Laundry Room – Use as a natural fabric softener. This can be especially helpful for families who have sensitive skin. Add cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of store bought fabric softener. Vinegar has the added benefit of breaking down laundry detergent more effectively.

Use lemon juice to clean your surfaces and rid of smells. Lemon juice can be mixed with vinegar and or baking soda to make all sorts of cleaning pastes. A bunch of 5 lemons will cost you around $2.50 and one lemon can cover an entire house! A 12.5 oz. bottle of furniture polish will cost you $3.99 the savings are simple. Simple and common uses for lemons are:

Bathroom – Lemon juice can dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits. Soak your showerhead in a bowl of lemon juice or rub a mixture of lemon juice and water on your sink or bathtub.

Kitchen – A great way to shine brass and copper. Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle baking soda on the cut section and scrub dishes or pans. Put a few slices of lemon in a bowl of water and place in microwave. Cook for 2 minutes and remove bowl. Then easily wipe off any food particles or grease from microwaves surfaces. Put a whole lemon peel through the garbage disposal, it freshens the drain and the kitchen.

Baking soda can also be used in an all-purpose way of cleaning. Mix it with vinegar or lemon for an abrasive super cleaner! An all-purpose cleaner can cost around $3.00 for only 32 oz., while a 48 oz. box of baking soda costs $2.25 and will last you a lot longer!
If you really want a great way to freshen up your home, add a few drops of lavender essential oil to your cleaning mixture, a 10ml bottle goes for $5 – $10, and can last you a year.

Here are some more really great recipes and ideas for all your homemade cleaning needs!

Furniture Polish: Combine 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1/4 cup of distilled vinegar, and 2 tsp. lemon juice and shake well. Dip a clean and dry cloth into polish and rub wood in the direction of the grain. Refrigerate any remaining polish.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Sprinkle bowl with baking soda and drizzle with white vinegar. Let soak 30 minutes, and scrub with toilet brush. For tough stains, let soak overnight.

All Purpose Cleaner: Combine 2 cups of white distilled vinegar and 2 cups of water. Use on counter tops, kitchen floors, windows, mirrors, and any other hard surfaces. For tough jobs, warm the cleaner in the microwave.

Happy Cleaning!

BE PART OF THE SOLUTION!

Original Article:  http://earthorganization.com/clean-green

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This post was first published on The Green Bean Blog. To continue reading, please visit Cheap, Clean and Green! is a post from:

Fall and winter are the harshest times of the year for our skin. During these seasons, the skin needs extra care to keep it moisturized. To help you keep your skin healthy and radiant through the holiday season, here are a few fall and winter organic skin care tips, to help you welcome the New Year feeling and looking good.

1. Drink Plenty of Water

Drinking lots of water will help you to hydrate your skin. When you go outside your home, it is advisable to bring a bottle of water, juice, or tea. Hot herbal tea can do wonders in the cold. Drinking these can help your skin maintain a healthy glow even during the coldest winter’s day.

2. Exfoliate dead skin cells away

A body and facial scrub can remove dead skin cells, keep your skin feeling fresh. You don’t need to buy expensive products for the job. There are various exfoliation recipes you can use at home using items you find in your kitchen.

3. Use Organic Moisturizers

After you exfoliate your skin, the next step is to moisturize it. There are various organic skin moisturizers that are made from natural ingredients. These contain none of the harsh chemical preservatives that might do more harm than good to your skin.

4. Don’t Forget to Wear Sunscreen

Just because summer is over doesn’t mean that you should not apply sunscreen when going out. Use sunscreen with SPF 15 or more. There are sunscreens on the market that are made out of organic ingredients. Some sunscreens also act as moisturizers, thus hitting two birds with one stone. A good sunscreen will protect your skin from the harsh environment.

5. Wear your Gloves

Remember, when your mom makes all the fuzz about wearing gloves during wintertime, you should consider her advise.  Don’t leave home in the cold without a pair of gloves. When buying gloves, look for those made out of hemp or other organic material. Gloves will help your hands stay warm and dry, and will protect your skin from the harsher affects of the elements.

6. Take an Organic Oil Bath

An organic oil bath can be relaxing, as well as hydrate your skin. A lavender bath relaxes and nourishes the skin, while calming the senses. A few drops of the oil in your bath water will do wonders for you after a tiring day at the office (or, in case of the Christmas Season, the mall).

7. Protect your Lips with Organic Lip Balm

Your lips will often get chapped during fall and winter.  This is not just because of the cold – our use of indoor heaters during cold weather is one cause of chapped lips.  The best way to avoid chapping is to use an organic lip balm. Always keep one in your pocket or purse.  Sometimes you won’t predict when you will need it.  Anyone who has suffered from chapped lips can tell you that lip balm is something one should never be without!

This post was first published on The Green Bean Blog. To continue reading, please visit Seven Fall and Winter Organic Skin Care Tips is a post from:

Toenails are such frequent targets of fungal infection, that this ailment is among the most common in the world. Because the fungus is more likely to grow in dark and damp places, feet and toenails are particularly susceptible.

Vinegar is often the home remedy most readily available to address this problem.

Vinegar contains natural properties that can both stave off and help cure toenail fungus. Many people choose this remedy over harsh chemicals or synthetic medicines.

Because both apple cider and white vinegar can aid in the eradication of fungal infections in the nail beds, either is acceptable for use as a home remedy. Not only is this remedy very cheap, but it is also among the most effective available.

Because vinegar is a safe, non-invasive treatment for toenail fungus, you don’t need any special training to apply it yourself.

Here is a basic outline of a common home remedy:

• Create a solution of one part vinegar and one part water.
• Soak your feet in this solution at least once daily, for 30 minutes, as well as alternate between cold and hot baths.
• Additionally, many people recommend that a person take three of these baths per day, at regular intervals.
• Because it causes a pH imbalance in the skin, toenail fungus can make skin more alkaline and thereby cause irritation of the cuticles and tissues.
• Toenail fungus should be treated immediately, since the infection can manifest itself as both itchiness and pain in the affected area.

The acidic properties of vinegar restore the pH balance of the skin, which allows the integumentary system to relieve the itchiness associated with the infection.

Many vinegar options are available today, which are relatively inexpensive at local groceries and markets. These include rice, malt, fruit, coconut, cane, balsamic, and apple cider varieties of vinegar.

The inflammation and pain that fungal infections cause has been shown to be reduced by the application of apple cider vinegar.  Hydrogen peroxide can also kill bacteria and viruses, when used in conjunction with a regular vinegar application.

An alternative to soaking your feet in a bath is to directly apply the vinegar on the base of the toenail, at least twice a day.  Just make sure that the vinegar will stay in place long enough to get the desired result.

A maximum of two drops of vinegar is suggested, for the remedy to be effective.

Toenail fungus can be effectively treated with vinegar. If you get infected, look to your kitchen cupboard first, for this simple but efficient solution for fungal problems.

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you are ill you should consult a medical doctor.

This post was first published on The Green Bean Blog. To continue reading, please visit Will Vinegar Treat Toenail Fungus? is a post from:

I, personally, love to clean. I love the look of a sparkling kitchen and a tidy bathroom. However, I am not as fond of the toxic smell of chemicals, which is usually a side effect of having a clean home. So, I was thrilled when I finally tried Method’s line of soaps, surface cleaners and detergents. They are ‘people against dirty’ (read, people after my own heart) and they stand for great design, sustainability, safety and good-smelling cleaning products.

Method offsets their carbon from all of their employees’ commutes and the energy it takes to run their office buildings. They also offset the energy consumed by the manufacture of products through renewable energy credits. They work to reduce their energy consumption from making, shipping and using their products. One of the ways they can do this is by manufacturing concentrated soaps and detergents. Oftentimes, soap contains a large percent of water, but Method makes more concentrated products which allow less packaging materials and less weight. This results in fewer carbon emissions during the shipping and distribution of products.

In terms of safety, Method has followed the ideas of Michael Braungart, co-author of Cradle to Cradle, in using completely natural, biodegradable and harmless ingredients in their products. They were recognized at the ‘champions’ level of Safer Detergents Stewardship Initiative, as part of the EPA’s Design for the Environment program. The program works to reduce chemical risk and improve energy efficiency to be better for both people and the planet. The EPA now has 1,034 products and counting as part of this program, which have eliminated more than 270 million pounds of harmful chemicals. Method currently has 50 products in compliance with the DfE program.

Method also prominently displays their ingredient lists on their website, breaking each product down ingredient by ingredient. You can feel good about knowing exactly what’s in every product you use. The people at Method work with Michael’s Braungart’s team at the Environmental Protection and Encouragement Agency (EPEA) to carefully consider every material that goes into their final products, and to make sure that the products won’t pollute any of our water systems with harmful chemicals.

Method makes Cradle to Cradle certified products, which is a huge achievement in itself, but they also became endorsed as a Cradle to Cradle company recently, which means that they are environmentally sustainable not only in their products, but in all aspects of their business.

Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry, the founders of Method, have also figured out how to capture the market (and my gratitude) with their sleek designs. I no longer feel the need to stuff cleaning products under the sink or put them in non-descript containers; my dish soap stands proudly out on the counter. The bottles are 100% recycled plastic and Method uses labels that won’t jam up recycling systems. And did I mention they are pretty?

I knew I loved Method’s products the moment I read the bottles and discovered scents like ‘pink grapefruit, cucumber, ginger yuzu’ among others. Thankfully, we finally have another choice for scents in the cleaning aisle besides lemon.

Method has revolutionized a market which has historically been seen as environmentally unsound. They have made effective cleaning products that can be washed down drain without the subsequent environmental guilt pains. They have made it so we can take off the rubber gloves, and we can keep our cleaning products on display. Above all, they have set a standard of sustainability.

This post was first published on The Green Bean Blog. To continue reading, please visit Clean and Green: Method’s Home and Personal Care Products is a post from:

I, personally, love to clean. I love the look of a sparkling kitchen and a tidy bathroom. However, I am not as fond of the toxic smell of chemicals, which is usually a side effect of having a clean home. So, I was thrilled when I finally tried Method’s line of soaps, surface cleaners and detergents. They are ‘people against dirty’ (read, people after my own heart) and they stand for great design, sustainability, safety and good-smelling cleaning products.

Method offsets their carbon from all of their employees’ commutes and the energy it takes to run their office buildings. They also offset the energy consumed by the manufacturer of products through renewable energy credits. They work to reduce their energy consumption from making, shipping and using their products. One of the ways they can do this is by manufacturing concentrated soaps and detergents. Oftentimes, soap contains a large percent of water, but Method makes more concentrated products which allow less packaging materials and less weight. This results in fewer carbon emissions during the shipping and distribution of products.

In terms of safety, Method has followed the ideas of Michael Braungart, co-author of Cradle to Cradle, in using completely natural, biodegradable and harmless ingredients in their products. They were recognized at the ‘champions’ level of Safer Detergents Stewardship Initiative, as part of the EPA’s Design for the Environment program. The program works to reduce chemical risk and improve energy efficiency to be better for both people and the planet. The EPA now has 1,034 products and counting as part of this program, which have eliminated more than 270 million pounds of harmful chemicals. Method currently has 50 products in compliance with the DfE program.

Method also prominently displays their ingredient lists on their website, breaking each product down ingredient by ingredient. You can feel good about knowing exactly what’s in every product you use. The people at Method work with Michael Braungart’s team at the Environmental Protection and Encouragement Agency (EPEA) to carefully consider every material that goes into their final products, and to make sure that the products won’t pollute any of our water systems with harmful chemicals.

Method makes Cradle to Cradle certified products, which is a huge achievement in itself. They also became endorsed as a Cradle to Cradle company recently, which means that they are environmentally sustainable not only in their products, but in all aspects of their business.

Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry, the founders of Method, have also figured out how to capture the market (and my gratitude) with their sleek designs. I no longer feel the need to stuff cleaning products under the sink or put them in non-descript containers; my dish soap stands proudly out on the counter. The bottles are 100% recycled plastic and Method uses labels that won’t jam up recycling systems. And did I mention they are pretty?

I knew I loved Method’s products the moment I read the bottles and discovered scents like ‘pink grapefruit, cucumber, ginger yuzu’ among others. Thankfully, we finally have another choice for scents in the cleaning aisle besides lemon.

Method has revolutionized a market which has historically been seen as environmentally unsound. They have made effective cleaning products that can be washed down the drain without the subsequent environmental guilt pains. They have made it so we can take off the rubber gloves and keep our cleaning products on display. Above all, they have set a standard of sustainability.

This post was first published on The Green Bean Blog. To continue reading, please visit Clean and Green : Method’s Home and Personal Care Products is a post from:

You may be hearing a lot of buzz about your favorite restaurants going ‘green’ by having more locally-sourced, sustainable food. But how green are the rest of their practices? Did they choose sustainable furnishings, are their refrigerators energy efficient, do they compost? A non-profit called the Green Restaurant Association can help address all these issues, and is pushing the food service industry to truly go green.

One of the first things you can do to be a more environmentally-conscientious consumer, is to look up Certified Green Restaurants™ in your area. Check out the Green Restaurant Association’s searchable database and see which of your favorite restaurants, coffee shops, and bakeries have already made the commitment, and which are still lagging behind.

For those restaurants that haven’t taken the plunge to become Certified, why not send them a little note of encouragement to go green? The GRA has printable suggestion cards on their website which you can slip in with the check or a sample email which you could modify and send to the manager of your favorite restaurant.

So what does it mean to be a Certified Green Restaurant™? You can think of it as somewhat similar to the process of earning LEED certification for green buildings. There are three types of Certifications – Existing Restaurants, New Builds, and Events. For each category, there are different point thresholds that must be met at a minimum to garner Certification. The businesses are given merits based on seven categories: water efficiency, waste reduction & recycling, sustainable furnishings & building materials, sustainable food, energy, disposables, and chemical & pollution reduction.

All Certified Green Restaurants™ must have full-scale recycling programs, be completely free of Styrofoam, and maintain an annual education program. In addition, they can gain certain numbers of points for practices under the categories listed above. For example, installing low flow faucet aerators in the kitchen sinks, dual flush toilets in the restrooms and reusing greywater for irrigation will all earn points in the water efficiency category.

A large goal of the GRA is to promote zero waste in the food service industry. As they point out, the average restaurant can produce 150,000 pounds of garbage per year. That includes organic waste, as well as recyclables. They suggest ways to divert waste from composting to making biodiesel from grease to finding vendors that will take back their own packaging to reuse.

The Green Restaurant Association also understands that restaurants may not have the time to sort out all of these green practices, even if they wish they did. So the GRA has implemented assessment and consulting programs to make it even easier and to see how sustainable practices can benefit the bottom line. Staff of the GRA will complete an environmental assessment to see where a restaurant is in relation to the Certification Standards, and consultants can suggest specific steps and solutions to gain more points. Consultants can help set up recycling programs, recommend green products, find distributors and even perform cost analyses.

For businesses in the food service industry, the GRA is a great resource to help find credible ways to be more environmentally responsible and the benefits are obvious. Not only are you making a difference for our planet, but improving the bottom line and creating a healthy and enjoyable environment for staff and customers.

Consumers are beginning to make smarter choices about dining out and research shows that people really do care what impact their favorite restaurants are having on the environment. So whether you’re thinking of opening your own restaurant, or just enjoy dining out, make sure that you choose the most environmentally responsible route and always dine green.

This post was first published on The Green Bean Blog. To continue reading, please visit Green Restaurants: Choosing Environmentally Responsible Restaurants is a post from:

Any new parent has probably heard about the importance of buying BPA-free baby bottles from the latest news stories, friends, or other new parents. If you haven’t heard, polycarbonate baby bottles can leach bisphenol-A and can potentially have adverse affects on a newborn’s growth and development. That’s scary enough, right? Well, now consider all the other products your baby interacts with, particularly in their room.

When furnishing the baby’s room, there are several options on the market to create a healthy environment for your baby using organic materials. Vivavi, a company selling green furniture and furnishings, offers the Oeuf Crib, made of MDF board which contains recovered wood fibers. The lacquer finish and the wood stains are non-toxic, and the crib’s simple design looks as good as it is healthy for your baby. They also offer a crib mattress made of organic cotton and wool, which help to keep dust mites away. The organic material provides optimal comfort for the baby, as it wicks away moisture so the baby does not overheat or get too cold. The mattress provides additional assurance as it meets the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s guidelines.

Vivavi also carries cute blankets and floor pillows that are inspired by nature’s flora and fauna, and are printed with non-toxic water-based inks. The pillows are made of soft organic cotton and hemp, and are filled with fibers made of recycled plastic bottles.

As the kids grow up, Vivavi carries a line of hand painted step stools and kid’s sized chairs that will give them the boost they need to reach the bathroom sink, or help in the kitchen. The fun, brightly colored furniture is made completely of reclaimed and recycled wood, and finished with paints and adhesives free of any Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

In thinking about your baby’s health, it is important to think beyond the food they ingest and the toys they will play with. It is just as important to consider where your child will sleep and play and if those environments are safe and healthy. Products made of organic cotton, recycled materials, and non-toxic finishes and paints are better for your baby and for the environment.

This post was first published on The Green Bean Blog. To continue reading, please visit Furnishing a Green and Healthy Baby’s Room is a post from:

As we head into August, it’s finally feeling like summer. The sun’s out, we get to enjoy meals outside, go swimming and tend to the garden. However, summer is also the time that we’re irrigating our lawns and gardens, cooling off in sprinklers, filling up pools, and washing the cars. On a daily basis, most of us probably don’t think about the number of gallons of water we are using, but there-in lies the problem. Our access to what can seem like a never-ending supply of potable water means that water conservation is typically on the back of anyone’s mind until faced with drought. Truth is, in the United States, about 340 billion gallons of fresh water are taken out of rivers and reservoirs every day to support our residential, commercial, recreational, agricultural and industrial needs.

As environmentally aware individuals, most of us are used to turning off the faucet when we’re brushing our teeth, or knowing that we should take shorter showers. However, there are changes we can make to our water-consuming fixtures that will help us save water every day. Here are some of the best solutions to be more efficient with our water use:

Low-Flow Faucets and Aerators
An easy (and cost-effective) method to save water is to install low-flow faucets and showerheads. If you already have your fixtures in place, consider installing aerators on the kitchen and bathroom faucets and your showerheads. Low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators can reduce your home water consumption by as much as 50%. Though aerators are available at pretty much any hardware store, you can also find them as well as other water conservation products at AM Conservation Group’s website.

Low-Flow or Dual-Flush Toliets

Buying a dual-flush or low-flow toliet can also save you an incredible amount of water. The EPA reports that “Indoor use accounts for roughly 60 percent of all residential use, and of this, toilets (at 3.5 gallons per flush) use nearly 40 percent…More than 4.8 billion gallons of water is flushed down toilets each day in the United States.” As water shortages seem to pop up more frequently, we need to re-consider sending billions of gallons of potable water into our sewer systems every day. Some conventional toliets use as much as 3.5 – 5 gallons per flush. The Energy Policy Act of 1992 was put into effect to require that new toliets for residences must use 1.6 gallons per flush or less. Many low-flow toliets or dual-flush can have even lower flush rates. Graywater can be used for flushing, but if altering your plumbing is cost-prohibitive, installing low-flush toilets is a great way to conserve water.

Use Rainwater
Many Americans use the most water to keep their lawns and gardens irrigated. A simple solution to maintain your outdoor space is to simply set up a cistern, or any vessel that can collect water when it rains. You can then use this to water your gardens, lawn or even wash your car. Though the rainwater is not suitable for drinking, it is perfectly fine to irrigate with and will save gallons of potable water.

Run Appliances When Full
This may seem like a no-brainer, but only run the dishwasher and clothes washer when they are full. This will not only save you water, but lower your energy bill as well.

Water conservation is going to become more and more important as the population expands and as our water needs increase. Using some of these solutions in your home can save you money on your water bill, can save you energy, and can make sure that our aquifers are re-filled so we have plenty of fresh water well into the future.

This post was first published on The Green Bean Blog. To continue reading, please visit Water Conservation: In-Home Solutions is a post from:

August is the peak of the season for delicious fresh fruits and vegetables, whether from your own garden or from local farms. This abundance of summer produce is worth waiting for through those cold New England winters, but it also produces a true challenge to the many city-dwellers without outdoor space – how to compost all that organic waste?

Many cities will subsidize large composting bins for those who have backyards, and this truly is a great opportunity to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. However, for those apartment-dwellers, or for those who generally prefer not to trudge out to the back of their yard with their food scraps, there is the kitchen-composter produced by NatureMill.

Designed to do the rotating and the aerating often required by other composters, NatureMill is willing to do the work for you. You can add your vegetable scraps, your coffee grounds, even meat or fish – though perhaps decomposition creates enough odors without adding fish. The composter can handle up to 120 pounds of material a month and uses ‘hot composting’ to drive the process a bit faster than your backyard composter. No worms must be added, just the food scraps and off the little machine goes, decomposing your waste without the pungent smell. NatureMill does alert you that you may detect a slight smell (like mushrooms), but in weighing the smell over the emissions of methane from landfills, I’d take the smell. And hey, you can always keep the composter in the garage if it’s that bothersome. When you’ve added enough organic matter, the indicator light will tell you that your compost is ready – et voila, a great fertilizer for the garden or even for your household plants. If you head out on your summer vacation, you can set the bin to “vacation mode” and off you go.

Composting not only reduces the amount of waste each individual generates, but reduces the collective amount of trash generated, which drives down the number of trash collections needed, and the oil needed to power those vehicles. Such a small step such as putting your organic waste in a NatureMill bin instead of your trash can have huge impacts on the environment. According to the EPA, methane gas emitted from landfills is 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. As landfill fees increase, as the piles of trash grow, as we send our trash overseas to other countries, it seems time to take control of our waste and recycle as much as possible. We’ve become accustomed to sorting cans and bottles, now on to corn husks and banana peels.

This post was first published on The Green Bean Blog. To continue reading, please visit Food Scraps to Fertilizer: Urban Composting is a post from: