At first glance, the educational benefits of Green Toys Stacking Cups aren’t obvious. Look a bit closer, however, and you’ll notice an interesting feature not found in similar products.

There are a myriad of features associated with this toy including:

* Numbers: Other stacking cups may have numbers on them, but the really fun thing about these cups is that they are “volumetrically correct.”

This simply means that when you fill cup 1 and cup 2, the contents of these cups will fit into cup 3.

Consequently, you’re able to help your child with number recognition, counting, and beginning math concepts.

Stacking Cups: an Eco-friendly & Educational Toy

These environmentally friendly cups are also great for:

* Sorting: Use the cups to help kids sort items of the same color, shape or size.

* Color Recognition: Toys today tend to come in four basic colors: red, yellow, green and blue. These lavender, teal, and lime colored Stacking Cups give you an opportunity to playfully help your child expand his or her knowledge of colors.

* Eye-Hand Coordination:  Nesting the cups together from largest to smallest or stacking them to form a tall tower develops eye-hand coordination as well as problem solving skills.

* Recycling: Like all Green Toys products, these cups are made of 100% recycled milk jugs.

Beyond the other features, these cups make it easy to help kids understand a word they might be familiar with, but may not really understand such as the word “recycling”.

Telling kids that these toys are made from “those milk jugs we recycle” helps them grasp the concept in a  way they actually relate too.

The benefits of Green Toys Stacking Cups go beyond these important educational aspects.

For example, kids as young as six months can safely play with these cups because they are non-toxic. Little ones can happily gum the cups and their folks don’t have to worry that they’re ingesting harmful substances because all Green Toys products are free of BPAs, phthalates, and PVCs.

I love that these stackers are made in the USA and are produced responsibly. Even better, one of my favorite things about Green Toys Stacking Cups is that they are an open-ended toy, allowing for flexible use and plenty of imagination. This toy is multipurpose meaning, the cups can be used in the bath or during water play, in the sandbox, or in the playroom. Since these cups are safe for the dishwasher, they are easily sanitized whenever needed.

But What About the Cost?

For some, the cost of the Stacking Cups is a little steep. Since babies, toddlers, and preschoolers seem to enjoy them equally well, you can expect to get a lot of use out of these cups. And, if they ever wear out, you can simply place them in the recycle bin rather than in the garbage where they inevitably end up in the landfill.

One thing to note about Green Toys products is that the open-box packaging design may cause a product to arrive with a bit of dirt or dust on the cups. Simply place the cups in the dishwasher for a cleaning before passing them onto your little one.

Regardless of this little inconvenience, the benefits of Green Toys Stacking Cups out weight some minor flaws. Even the packaging is made of recycled and recyclable materials and it’s printed with an Eco-friendly ink to boot!

1) during initial planning and

2) when finally designing your Eco-dream home.

Remember, the design of your home determines two areas of Earth-friendly living: how much impact you’ll have on the environment and how comfortable your Eco-friendly living space will be in the long run.

With more people taking action about preserving the planet, it’s now easier than ever to find green designers, sustainable design resources, and Eco-friendly building materials you can use for your home. Study everything and plan thoroughly before you jump to the building process.

Even after the construction part of your home building project is complete, you can further enhance your green footprint by using Eco-friendly products throughout your new abode.

Pre-construction Green Building Considerations …

Before building a green home, one of the things you need to look into is your family’s habits. Do you remember to turn the lights off when you leave a room? Do you forget to unplug the appliances such as computers that are not in use? Do you recycle, reuse and reduce your weekly garbage?

You might be wondering what your habits have to do with your new Eco-friendly home.

Bottom-line; it has everything to do with it!

An Earth friendly residence can only be beneficial if the residents themselves are just as Eco-conscious and taking the proper steps to live a green lifestyle.

Before you start the plan or design processes, sit down with your family and agree to adopt more Eco-friendly habits. Practice them daily and strive to be accountable to each other.

Next when you’re ready to begin the design process, consider meeting with green building organizations and sustainable-design experts to guide you throughout the planning and construction process.

Environmental Site Factors

Among the crucial factors in your green building plan is the actual site of your future home. Look for a strategic location that is near places or establishments you and your family frequent such as the grocery, the school or the office.

Make sure that your location is accessible by public transportation. Consider how safe the streets are, in case you choose to walk or to travel using bicycles which are far more Eco-friendly products than automobiles.

Having all these transport options available can help you save more energy because you won’t have to use your own car every time you need to commute.

When conceptualizing the design, the structure’s physical position on the site is also an important consideration. Work with your designer to come up with the best angle to optimize exposure sunlight to warm your home during the winter and cool it during the summer plus provide natural illumination. Since you’ll be consuming less energy, you’ll also save on heating and lighting costs.

You can even study your house’s direction and design the windows so that natural breeze can circulate inside the rooms. Aside from saving on cooling costs, this also helps improve the air quality inside your new green home.

While it’s nice to live in a spacious home, consider building one that’s just the right size and with ample space to accommodate your family comfortably. Having a smaller home means you’ll need fewer resources to construct it, and you’ll spend less money to maintain it as well.

Plus remember that in the future the number of people living in the home is likely to decrease as children grow and move out on their own.

You can allot some space for a yard where you can have a composting bin and a garden to plant your own herbs or vegetables. You can also install a water recycling system that gathers rain water from your home’s rain drainage system. This can be used to irrigate your small plot or even to help supply water for sanitary purposes.

Building an Eco-friendly home doesn’t mean you have to live in a mound of earth or a house made of sticks, although you certainly can if it works for you and your family.

With a thorough plan, a conscientious design plus making use of Eco-friendly products where you can, it’s possible to create an green home that satisfies your need comfort, beauty as well as a healthy living space.

The following video talks about some of those materials and the basics on how to use them …

My purpose wasn’t to knock those solutions to the green cleaning problem but rather to make people aware that nothing is completely green or Eco-friendly. It was merely to inform and open the discussion about alternative solutions. As with anything in life, it is a personal decision; I just tried to provide additional info to assist with the use of those items.

I also raised the question asking if cleaners derived from vegetation-based sources were really green cleaning products and gave several reasons why I believe so (extending use of natural products, sustainable, safe, often concentrated saving on transportation, packaging and money, etc.).

In the next video, Oprah introduces one product line based on vegetation-based cleaners meeting the criteria mentioned above …

So the next time you go shopping for green cleaning products, consider all the facts and make the decision that works best for you and your family …

Nice work Lee  … Thanks!

Sources of these VOCs have been traced back to household cleaning products, home maintenance chemicals (solvents, thinners, etc.) and even the paints and finishes used on our walls.

Though some household cleaning product companies have developed no VOC alternatives over the last few decades, only recently have the paint companies followed that early lead.

Even still, it appears that some of the companies now advertising non-VOC paints, are still producing paints with other volatile compounds that also raise health concerns.

Watch the following documentary video from BGTV to learn more about the ins and outs of eco-friendly paints!

These same green cleaning products were formerly used in Dick Cheney’s Vice President Residence!

Are these the first bipartisan green cleaning products?  Can there really be that kind of compromise in Washington D.C. ?

Actually, I use them and am an Independent …. I guess that means they are multi-partisan!

There is little doubt, Dr. Forrest C. Shaklee was truly a green lifestyle visionary as indicated by his life’s work and the following quote:

“Listen to the voice of nature and feel the joy of living” – Dr. Forrest C. Shaklee.

As mentioned in a news interview on a St. Louis, MO TV station of current CEO, Roger Barnett, the Shaklee Corporation introduced one of the green cleaning product lines anchored by Basic H® in 1960. (Sidenote: Rachel Carson’s – Silent Spring credited with launching the current environmental movements wasn’t even published until 1962).

Ever since they were introduced, Shaklee Corporation has continually worked to refine their green cleaning products line always striving to maintain the balance between our safety and the environment.  Shaklee’s current line of green cleaning products, Get Clean®, comprises a complete system of Earth-friendly home cleaners.

Some of the reasons why I chose Shaklee green cleaning products over 25 years ago include:

• The Get Clean® products are safe for people and the Planet;
• Tough on dirt outperforming or matching the cleaning strength of >20 national brands;
• Products like Shaklee Basic H2® (second generation of Basic H®) are ultra-concentrated reducing waste, shipping costs and not only being green but saving green ($) as well;
  • The Get Clean® starter kit can save families over $3400, eliminate > 100 pounds of packaging waste and >240 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.

It is great to see even the “Big Boys” of D.C. can get beyond the politics of the day and agree on something even if it is just a line of green cleaning products that is good for all of us and the environment!

For more information about Shaklee green cleaning products and the Get Clean® line, leave a comment below!

]]> http://naturesgreenremedy.com/bipartisan-green-cleaning-products/feed/ 1 http://naturesgreenremedy.com/white-house-gets-the-lead-out/ http://naturesgreenremedy.com/white-house-gets-the-lead-out/#comments Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:08:53 +0000 Jim Hickey http://naturesgreenremedy.com/?p=344 No, not by getting rid of some of the old political cronies that permeate Washington but by simple organic gardening practices in the new White House vegetable garden!

Given the fact that I had posted a previous article on lead in urban gardens, it seemed fitting to create this as a follow-up.

I believe Washington D.C. is considered an urban environment

The White House Goes Green!

In case you missed it, First Lady Michelle Obama (with the help of staff and local students) broke ground and planted an organic fruit and vegetable garden on the White House lawn earlier this year.  The “fruits” (or should I say vegetables) of their labor started to be harvested and June with the intent to provide fresh, organically-grown produce for the First Family, White House staffers and even some State dinners!

See the video below for an up close look at the White House gardening venture:

Amongst all the initial hoopla associated with the planting of the garden was a report of “elevated” levels of lead in the soil of the garden plot.  According to a story in today’s New York Times, the initial level of lead reported was 93 p.p.m. which is less than 25% of the hazard level established by the U.S. E.P.A. (though countries like the Netherlands set hazard levels as low as 40 p.p.m.).

Through the actions taken to enhance the productivity of the garden plot, lead levels were decreased to as low as 14 p.p.m. Concentrations like these are typically found in areas where there has been little human activity and is indicative of natural levels of lead in the environment.

So what actions were taken exactly?

A few simple organic gardening steps were implemented to enhance the ground’s fertility and also reduce the availability of lead to the plants including:

• Addition of lime;
• Addition of green sand;
• Addition of crab meal;
• Addition of organic compost supplied by the National Park Service; and
• Adjusting the soil pH to between 6.5 and 7.

It should be noted, when developing compost to use in produce gardens be sure to avoid using organic material obtained along roadways or in high traffic areas since this material often has higher levels of lead.

So the next time your near D.C. and pass the organic produce section of a local market, think about the steps taken at the White House to produce contaminant-free and nutrient-rich fruits and veggies.  On the other hand, if the produce was grown on another urban garden, hopefully they used similar practices to “keep the lead out”.

Many of the coconut-based cleaning agents used in major brands are reported to be relatively safe and easily biodegradable as was the case with the materials evaluated earlier (baking soda, vinegar, etc.).  Therefore this evaluation considers the nature of the source of the cleaning agents and some of the steps involved as the product evolves from the coconut tree until it gets into the consumers’ hands.

First of all, the source is from a living plant supplying the raw ingredients on a periodic basis; a definite renewable source!  The plant also uses atmospheric CO₂ as it continues to live and produce the fruit and oil and therefore is an ongoing absorber of an additional environmental concern playing a role in removing greenhouse gases.

Additionally, most coconut-based cleaning agents are derived from raw coconut oil as it is being refined and the cleaning agents are constructive byproducts of the refining process.

Once the cleaning agents are produced, they are then delivered to various companies to formulate their specific “green cleaning product”.

Some companies opt to formulate their product at a “ready to use” concentration as matter of convenience while others deliver a highly concentrated formulation where the end user mixes the final use solutions in spray bottles or for other uses.

Though each vendor is still using an environmentally friendly agent, in my mind, there are distinct advantages to using the highly concentrated alternative:

• The only ingredient the consumer adds to the highly concentrated coconut-derived cleaning product is water therefore saving the cost of shipping a relatively large quantity of water;
• Less packaging is required since the highly concentrated cleaner is used to make the “ready-to-use” solutions many times over;
• Far less fuel is used to ship the highly concentrated cleaner (also saving on the cost of shipping as well); and
• Re-use of cleaner and mix bottles over and over again minimizes the amount of plastic waste to be sent out for disposal or recycling.

Granted the “ready-to-use” formulation is more convenient and some would consider less “sloppy”, I still believe a little effort to mix the final cleaning solutions may well be worth the effort considering what is being saved.

(Of course this could be the latent chemist starting to rear its nerdy head as well!)

Now that I have given you my viewpoint about vegetation or coconut-based green cleaning products, please let me know yours by commenting below ….

The real question is … are baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and vinegar truly green or Earth friendly when used as cleaning products?

There is little doubt these common household staples are relatively safe and when used in the condition (diluted to a few percent in the case of hydrogen peroxide and vinegar) and flushed down the drain they pose little harm to the environment (or water treatment facility).

This is the basis most people claiming these are viable as green cleaning products use to formulate the conclusion they are indeed green or Earth friendly.

So it must be true then … baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and vinegar can be used as green cleaning products right?

But … where do these common household products come from (besides Good Golly Miss Jolly World )?

Definitely an interesting question ….. Let’s take a look at each product:

• Baking Soda – historically baking soda was produced via a synthetic industrial chemical method called the Solvay process, a switch to the use of a natural resource, the mineral trona, occurred during the 1980s. Here in the U.S. most of the trona deposits were formed from evaporation of large inland lakes ~ 50 million years ago in western Colorado and Wyoming.  The trona deposits are now mined from several hundred feet below ground surface them brought to the surface to be processed to extract both sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and sodium carbonate (soda wash).  This does raise another question …. I wonder how many truly green or environmentally friendly mines there are in the World?  Hmmmmmm …..

• Hydrogen Peroxide – though hydrogen peroxide exists in many organisms, virtually all hydrogen peroxide is produced from another synthetic industrial chemical process (Autoxidation) involving organic chemicals such as anthraquinone, a hydrocarbon-based carrier solvent, natural gas and a metallic catalyst (nickel or palladium).  The organic chemicals involved are typically derived from petrochemical feed stocks.  As I look over the process and chemicals involved I have to wonder where the “green” part comes into play …..

• Vinegar (acetic acid) – Much of the food grade vinegar we have around the house is assumed to be derived from the fermentation of ethanol derived from vegetation.  When the label states “apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, etc. that may almost be a safe assumption, especially if you read the “ingredients label” and it clearly states vegetation as primary ingredients.  If you use biologically derived vinegar to make your own household cleaning solution you are likely being truly green.  However, if you by a commercial product labeled as containing vinegar it is likely the source was from synthetic sources of ethanol (including petroleum) since only 10% of all acetic acid produced comes directly from biologic sources (vegetation) and mass production of the synthetic form is much cheaper to produce.

So in the final analysis how does each of these highly touted “green cleaning products” stand up to the scrutiny?

1. Baking soda-derived from processing of a mined Earth resource – NOT GREEN!
2. Hydrogen Peroxide – derived from industrial chemical synthesis – NOT GREEN!
3. Vinegar – if derived from a clearly labeled plant source – LIKELY GREEN!
   1. if an ingredient in commercial “green” cleaner – NOT LIKELY GREEN!

Let me know how you feel about baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and vinegar as green cleaning products by commenting below!

[audio:meaningofchemical.mp3]

Right click to download the audio MP3 file: Meaning of Chemical

==================

Interesting question isn’t it?

Read the short post below and listen to the podcast above and see why I believe a lot of people really don’t know the answer!

Many people seem to think that if household cleaning products (or other products for that matter) contain chemicals, they must be toxic, unsafe or not earth-friendly.  Part of the issue again comes down to a combination of multiple meanings for a term, in this case chemical, as well as confusion about chemicals that might be in various products.

The fundamental meaning of the word chemical relates to the fact that all matter is made of the chemical elements.  Therefore the only time there would not be chemicals present if there was an absolute vacuum.  We could not survive in an absolute vacuum!

Everything around us is chemical.

The air is a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, carbon dioxide, etc.

Water is H₂O and we can’t live without it!

Arsenic is a naturally occurring chemical element we can pretty much live without!

Every material in the environment around us including our household cleaning products consists of chemical compounds and nothing, other than an absolute vacuum can be 100% chemical free ….

Keep these facts in mind as you listen to the podcast and please leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts!

Is this mild? .. Ouch!

We’ve all likely done it, run out the door on a hot summer’s day after forgetting to anoint all exposed skin areas with our favorite sunscreen or other means of sunburn prevention.  In a few hours we start to notice several of the exposed areas feel warm and tight then later … wham, the full effects of the sunburn hit home!

Fortunately most of us have a number of nature’s green remedies (plus a few other items) readily available around the home to help alleviate the pain and inflammation.

Green Home Sunburn Remedies from the Kitchen

• Take a chilly bath or shower for several minutes. Try not to use soap or only use mild ones if you must then rinse off and do not use a washcloth finally patting yourself dry with a soft towel;
• Add ½ to 1 cup oatmeal to the cooled bathwater rather than bath oils.  You can also use Aveeno powder (oatmeal-based) found in my drug stores.  Air dry your body to let the effects of the soothing oatmeal linger (baking soda is another alternative);
• Use honey as a salve by coating the burned area to promote healing;
• Take a couple of washed potatoes, cut into small pieces, add to your blender then process until they take on a liquid or pasty form (if pasty, add water to liquefy), pat the sunburned patches with the liquid then allow to dry before rinsing with cool water; and
• Soak a washcloth in cool water then apply to burned areas as a cool compress.

Home Sunburn Remedy Selections from the Bathroom Medicine Chest

• Apply a skin moisturizer after bathing to help with dryness and pain (chilling the moisturizer before use can help add relief);
• Use pure Aloe Vera gel (98% or greater) which helps increase blood flow then lower pain and inflammation;
• Sometimes cream or spray topical anesthetics can help if used correctly (be sure to use as directed and check ingredients to insure safety and minimize health issues);
• Use an over the counter pain reliever such as aspirin, ibuprofen (preferred) or acetaminophen (if the first two are problematic for you) to lower both pain and inflammation.

Each of these remedies should help you tolerate the pain and discomfort brought on by mild cases of sunburn. Remember, however, to take the proper actions to prevent future issues the next time you head out for some fun in the Sun!

Note that these remedies are primarily for small areas and minor sunburn cases.  If the burn area is extensive (whole back for instance), if you experience fever/achiness, or the burn develops blisters or forms a light brown crust, seek medical advice immediately.

A simple title isn’t it?

If you do a web search for that phrase, you will find link after link touting baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is an agent for natural cleaning, skin care, tooth care and the list goes on and on ….

The more I thought about it however, something didn’t quite seem to fit …

Part of the issue relates to where most baking soda comes from, while the other is due to an understanding of the meaning of “natural” when discussing these types of substances.

Is there a “natural” form of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)?

Now I am totally aware sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃), a.k.a. baking soda, does exist in large quantities within Mother Earth’s system in the form of a mineral called nahcolite.

Even though nahcolite is the natural form of sodium bicarbonate, is it used as the source of baking soda?

Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) Production ….

Historically, baking soda was manufactured using the Solvay process (developed in the mid nineteenth century) by processing calcium carbonate (usually limestone) with salt brine (sodium chloride) that had been saturated with ammonia.  Other products derived from this process includes sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃) also known as soda ash and calcium chloride (CaCl₂).  This Solvay system is definitely a chemical manufacturing process for producing baking soda!

After the discovery of substantial deposits of another sodium carbonate mineral called trona (Na₃CO₃(HCO₃) – 2H₂O), the use of the Solvay process fell off by 1980.  The shift away from using the Solvay process was two-fold:

1)      it was less costly to mine and process trona to produce baking soda and soda ash;

2)      hypothetically, processing trona is more “earth-friendly”.

Like nahcolite, trona is an inorganic, evaporate mineral forming as mineral-laden waters evaporate away causing the chemicals in solution (like Na⁺, Ca²⁺, HCO₃^-, CO₃^2-) to recombine and precipitate out forming beds of new minerals.  Significant deposits of trona and nahcolite were formed as ancient lakes (>50 million years ago) evaporated away in parts of western Wyoming and northwestern Colorado.

The trona deposits of this region are now the targets of several mines and the companies produce more than 17 million tons of trona (and a few hundred thousand tons of nahcolite) each year from the Wyoming deposits alone.

More than 95% of the baking soda and virtually all soda ash used in the U. S. each year is derived by processing trona (per the Wyoming Mining Association).

Since trona (Na₃CO₃(HCO₃) – 2H₂O) is not pure sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) it has to be processed to derive soda ash (sodium carbonate or Na₂CO₃) first then baking soda (NaHCO3) is produced from the soda ash by adding CO₂.

So technically speaking, the bulk of the baking soda we buy in the grocery store is a material that is produced by first mining the mineral trona which is then processed into soda ash (Na₂CO₃) which is subsequently mixed with more CO₂ to finally produce baking soda (sodium bicarbonate).

Does this sound like a completely natural product to you?

To me it seems like there is an awful lot of “production” going on when making baking soda!

If so, how often have you stated to get dressed only to be greeted by the abrasive patch of porous material left over from the last drying cycle?

It’s a simple fact that many people use commercial dryer sheets several times during any given week as they complete their laundry chores. Each time they complete a load, another swatch of crinkly scrap is produced.

Ever since they were first introduced over twenty years ago, people have been either chucking the spent sheets into the trash can to head off to the local landfill.  After realizing that many of the commercial brand’s sheets are not readily biodegradable people started to find new, innovative ways to reuse them.

Reuse ideas range from dusting your TV screen; wiping up spills of powdery substances (like flour or body powders); stuffing them in sneakers or hampers to help control odor; use to remove pet hair from clothing; clean the chrome on your cars; and the list goes on and on …

Well here’s another tip for reusing those scratchy little swatches that is spun from an earlier post on home-brewed pest control tips.

Reusing Spent Dryer Sheets to Make Cedar-Chip Pouches

If you are anything like our family, closet and dresser drawer space is often at a premium. So each Spring and Fall we pack away one set of seasonal clothing and break out the next seasonal wardrobe.

A few decades ago, we typically added moth balls to the clothes being packed away reducing problems with moths and other pests.  That was until we learned of the potential health effects from the chemicals in moth balls (naphthalene and dichlorobenzene), especially on our kids and pets.

From that point on we started using cedar blocks or cloth bags filled with cedar chips. As it became more difficult to find small cloth bags, we looked around for an alternative and came up with the idea to take a handful of chips, place them between two spent dryer sheets then sew the seams together. You can also easily change the shape of the pouch (square, rectangle, circle, oval) for any specific need by leaving a little extra room around the edges and trimming accordingly.

Since the sheets are extremely porous, the cedar gets to do its job and help keep more waste out of the landfills.

And we even keep the pouches out of the landfill by recycling them at a local facility as part of an alternative energy project ….

[audio:EarlyGreenLiving.mp3]

Right click to download the audio MP3 file: Early Green Living

========

So what do dairy farms, old cardboard boxes plus Simpson Spring soda and Hood milk bottles have to do with living a green lifestyle?

Take a few moments and listen to the audio file to find out (you may even hear my old New England accent pop out).

Next, take a moment or two and reflect back to your early years and let me know your earliest memories of green living activities.

It’s amazing what we find when we take the time to stop and think back to years gone by and how much early routines might reflect some of the newer trends around today!

Most of us will experience many encounters with those little pesky insects popping out of borrows in the yard or the dark and protected cracks and crevices around our homes.

Everything from ants parading across the counters or picnic tables to different types of beetles invading our gardens, flying insects (flies, stinging varieties, moths, mosquitoes) buzzing about and roaches just being completely gross!  They are definitely more than a little irritating …

They’ll soon be attempting to join in and ruin many a summer party or picnic unless you bring out the heavy artillery ….

So rather than reaching for the Raid or other popular, chemically-laden, off-the-shelf variety pesticide, here are a few home-brewed natural remedies that are definitely more in tune as you are living your green lifestyle …

General Purpose Insect Spray Mixture:

Here is a great all purpose spice natural remedy mixture that is a very effective insect spray you can by combining and mixing:

• 1 to 2 Tablespoons Plant-based soap;
• 1 Tablespoon (or a clove or two) Garlic;
• 1 small onion
• 1 Tablespoon of cayenne or hot chili pepper (chopped or powder); &
• 1 quart very warm water.

Mix ingredients together and allow brew for several days.

Filter fluid through cloth or coffee filter into spray bottle and you are ready to go (or should I say the pests will be ready to go!).  And don’t just throw the spice mash away; mix it into the topsoil around some of your various planting!

Here is a video from “The Produce Garden” You Tube video site (full of helpful tips for anyone trying to live a simpler life close to nature) with a slight variation of the above natural remedy receipt:

X

A couple of suggestions for those pesky little, hard exoskeleton black or red ants:

Natural Remedy Ant Repellant – place a line of dried peppermint leaves (or dilute peppermint spirits*), 50/50 mix of vinegar/water; chili powder, black pepper or cream of tartar in front of their entry point(s) to keep ants from re-entering area.

*Note – peppermint spirits (an essential oil) can be harmful to cats!

Natural Remedy Ant Exterminator – Mix equal parts of fine-grained sugar (or sometimes grease) with Borax** then place in area when ants enter or congregate.  The ants are attracted by the sugar and carry the mix back to the next where the poisonous Borax** does its deadly deed.

**Note – Borax is poisonous and potentially lethal to people and pets (as little as a few tablespoons can be very dangerous to deadly) so only use in isolated areas where people (especially children) and pets can not access!

I have also tried pouring a pot of boiling water down the opening to ant hills with some success (mixing it with a plant-based cleaning product like Shaklee H2 helps!)

Using Cedar as a Natural Remedy for Moth Control

Moths are another pest that are both irritating when  buzzing around lights in the evening but are more of an issue when they get into closets and make their homes in various articles of clothing.  The simplest way address moths in the clothes are to add cedar blocks or chips (in cloth bags) in amongst the various garments as a natural remedy.

Rhubarb Leaves and Beetles

Another useful tip when dealing with beetles is to make a pesticide brew by steeping several chopped rhubarb leaves in a few quarts of boiling water followed by straining into spray bottle.  Another note of caution is warranted here since rhubarb leaves contain oxalic acid which is poisonous to humans and animals.

Diatomaceous Earth and Hard Exoskeleton Critters

One last tip to consider when dealing with hard-bodied pests (ants, roaches, beetles), get some food-grade diatomaceous earth (a soft, chalk-like) sedimentary rock material) and sprinkle the powder around the pest’s pathways. The silica in the powder abrades through the hard exoskeleton penetrating the body cavity and desiccating (drying-out) the pest!

I admit, not the some of these prettiest of natural remedies but often effective ones …

So as you continue living your green lifestyle and frolic in the Sun here are five skin protection tips to help keep those Summer outings as happy and care-free as possible.

During the next few months, much of our non-working lives centers around activities lead us outsides where the Sun’s warming and sometimes harmful rays shine upon us. Activities range from extended fishing expeditions (my favorite), boating, holding picnics, days at the beach and even tasks around the house like painting, yard work, gardening and so on …

Though the natural warmth often feels especially grand at the end of a long cold winter, they also place us at risk to a variety of skin problems including formation of leathery and wrinkly skin, unsightly skin spots, and in the worst case …. skin cancer.  Another related issue I sometimes encounter is vision issues due to excessive glare, particularly when on the water.

As you are planning your outdoor activities, consider the following tips to help keep your time frolicking in the Sun both fun (even if mowing) and safe:

1. Wear the appropriate clothing.  Although it may sound counter-intuitive, sometimes proper clothing includes long-sleeved shorts and pants;
2. Try and plan you day to avoid being out in the direct sun between the hours of 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM.  This is the time of day when the sun is highest in the sky and it’s rays are most intense.  If out for a day of fishing or boating, use your boat’s Bimini top or invest in one (especially if this is a frequent Summer pastime for you);
3. Use sunblocks that are truly effective and have a low health risk associated with them such as Badger Sunblocks or the Alba Sun Care line available online at Drugstore.com;
4. Apply the sunblock to all exposed skin at an absolute minimum and don’t forget your ears, neck and even parts of your face.  If you don’t have much hair on the top of your head, apply the block and wear a hat for added protection;
5. Re-apply sunblock frequently and though you can use the instructions on the label as a guide, remember that your activities might have lead to contact with clothing thereby removing the block.

Always remember to check your skin after each outing making note of areas looking different than normal.  If you do find areas of abnormal appearance be sure and check with your doctor for safety sake.

So remember these five skin protection tips to help keep those Summer outings as happy and care-free as possible as you keep living your green lifestyle.

As I followed the discussion across several different blog comment threads, people would commonly refer to health hazard data compiled on material safety data sheets (MSDS) to identify health and toxicological information when presenting their arguments.

It seemed when proponents of the homemade cleaners made an argument against common commercial green cleaners, they would identify the major compound in the commercial cleaner and refer to data from the MSDS sheet for that pure compound.

I instantly saw a problem with their analysis since they were often comparing vinegar (a 5% (dilute) solution of acetic acid) against the data for the concentrated (100%) form of the compound of concern in the commercial green cleaning product.

As a result, I prepared the following video noting my concern for this type of analysis by showing some examples of MSDS health hazard data for three compounds used in green or eco friendly cleaning products.

Please watch the video making note of the compounds compared and data on each of the MSDS sheets then comment below!

I look forward to your thoughts and comments!

The bottom line: You are now the primary decision-maker (or at least play a significant part in that role) and therefore can create your own green home office workspace!

Since you have an active interest in enhancing you overall green lifestyle and operating a green home-based business, a few ideas when either first setting up your office or replacing supplies might help!

Working from home likely means you will be using more office supplies and need additional office equipment than you did before.  So think about the following tips when purchasing materials and make your home office workspace as green as possible:

Green Home Office Equipment:

• Be sure to buy energy-efficient equipment when purchasing major items such as printers, computers, copiers, etc. displaying the “Energy Star^® logo since these machines require less energy and will save you money (green in two ways!);
• Think about purchasing an all-in-one printer/fax/copier/scanner device since one machine requires less energy than four;
• Select a printer unit that accepts recharged toner cartridges plus make sure they are available for that unit;
• Use the double-sided printing feature available on most new printers and copiers;
• Use draft mode when printing in-house documents thereby using less energy and ink;
• Replace old film cameras with new digital cameras requiring less paper and chemical processing when archiving or sharing photographic images;
• Replace conventional batteries with rechargeable ones and always be sure to dispose of batteries in an appropriate manner.

Green Home Office Supplies:

• Use recycled paper made using a high quantity of consumer waste resulting in less trees being harvested, lower energy demands and reducing waste going into landfills;
• Reduce the quantity of paper used by:
  • Share electronic files rather than paper files;
  • Re-use back side of side-sided documents for scratch pads or drafts;
  • Use double-sided printing whenever possible (see above);
• Use email for both in-house and external communication whenever possible;
• Use digital media such as CDs, DVDs, external hard drives for archival of document files, imagery, video files, audio files, etc.;
• Use web sites and web pages to meet publishing needs (advertising brochures, newsletters, sales copy, etc.) rather than conventional printing, mailing thereby saving supplies, energy and shipping costs;
• Reuse file folders, file hangers and even envelopes when possible;
• Minimize both incoming and outgoing “snail mail” by:
  • Using voicemail, email and fax transmissions when possible;
  • Use e-billing add e-payment systems where available;
  • Cancel subscriptions to information sources available digitally or un-read newspapers, magazine, journals, etc.
• Recycle or reuse paper goods via municipal or other local programs (a local school pelletizes paper and mixes with wood waste for heating purposes); and
• Purchase refillable pens and pencils, chose recycled and non-toxic options when available and buy supplies in bulk whenever possible.

Another consideration to green your home office is to purchase recycled office furniture (there is a lot of it available in today’s marketplace) or refurbish your old furniture.  Any office furniture you no longer need can be donated to a local charity, shelters or churches as well.

So remember, now that you are the boss and main decision-maker, it’s up to you to make the right purchases and cultivate your own green home office workspace …

Many of us are also re-cultivating, fertilizing (organically-based of course) and preparing to plant another season’s crop of home-grown wholesome vegetable bounty from our backyard gardens.

So why even consider the idea that lead poisoning could weigh-down summer urban gardening plans?

If you have a large lot, live in a relatively new development or in a structure that has never used exterior paint you may not even have to think about the significance of this article’s title.

One the other hand, if you live in an older structure, particularly in an urban or suburban setting, you really should be doing more than thinking about the title.

The reason: until the 1978 Lead Paint Ban many homes were painted using lead-based paints. As structures aged and maintenance painting occurs, some or all of the original paint was removed via scraping and the paint chips fell to the ground below and became part of the soil.

Another lead source present until the mid-1970s was the presence of tetra-ethyl lead in gasoline when it was phased out of product and replaced with other additives such as methyl tertiary butyl ether (a.k.a. – MTBE: a subject for a future post).  As particulate matter was deposited from automobile exhaust, it also contained a certain amount of lead from gasoline adding to the lead burden of shallow soils (also the places where gardens are grown).

Lead in the Urban Garden Soil Environment …

First of all, if you feel your property may have significant issues with lead in soil, you should consider contacting your local/state health or environmental department for more information and testing advice.  This article is posted for those interested in gardening and is searching for steps to take to minimize interaction between garden plants and lead contaminated soils.

Lead is present in all soils in relatively low concentrations (often < 20 mg/kg or ppm), which represents a minimal risk to plants or animals (including us) that come into contact with it.

The problem arise when lead soil levels become substantially increased, a common occurrence in urban and some suburban setting due to the reasons stated above.  In numerous urban/suburban cases, lead concentrations in residential soils greatly exceed the common “lead safe” soil standard (established by U.S. regulatory agencies) of 400 mg/kg (ppm) with some studies reporting soil lead levels 10X greater than the safe level.

Note: Even though the “safe-lead” standard is set at 400 mg/kg (ppm), cultivation of soils with soil lead levels > 100 mg/kg (ppm) should be avoided when children at present to lower the risk of direct ingestion of contaminated soils.

Do vegetation types uptake and accumulate lead in the same way?

According to studies on the uptake of lead by different types of garden plants, leafy (lettuce, herbs, rhubarb, etc.) and rooting (carrots, radishes, onions, etc.) edible plants are more likely to accumulate lead in the edible parts than fruiting edibles (tomatoes, peppers, squashes, etc.).

A few recommendations for urban gardeners:

1. Survey the property and plan to construct the garden away from high contamination areas and buildings;
2. Conduct analysis of soil samples from planned garden area;
3. If planned garden area contains > 400 mg/kg (ppm), either move location, switch to container or raised bed gardening;
4. If lead contamination is present, only grow leafy and rooting plants in container or raised bed systems;
5. Wash all harvested plants thoroughly to remove contaminated dust/soil;
6. Each season, re-check topsoil system to check for re-contamination during pre-season preparation activities;
7. Do not use plants grown on contaminated soils in composting efforts.

A little pre-planning and preparation before undertaking this season’s gardening endeavor will help lower the risk of lead exposure to your family and still provide fresh, great-tasting and wholesome fruits and vegetables we all relish!

The added bonus – you will minimize the potential for lead poisoning to weigh down your urban garden plans!

Ever wonder what the source of the pungent odor emanating from your workshop bench or shelves was and whether they were safe household products?

Are all these materials made from perfectly safe chemicals or are there reasons to be concerned?

Is it possible the sweet odor coming from chemicals in household products is actually a possible health threat to you or your family?

Many of us often have questions about the various cleaning, landscape, maintenance and even craft products we routinely use around our home or workplace.  Finding a source of pertinent chemical safety information about specific products is usually time consuming, difficult and the results are often suspect.

Fortunately, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) have compiled health and safety information on over 4,000 products used in the household and workplace.  The Household Products Database is provided in digital form and is available on the Internet via the HHS website.

Direct access to the Household Products Database can be obtained by clicking on the image of the web site’s home page below:

Clickable Image of Household Products Database Website

Information provided in the database is relatively straightforward and easy to understand plus there are links to more detailed data via HSS/NIH technical compilations about toxicology, chemical hazards and a variety of other themes.

Though the original databases were originally designed for scientists, medical professionals and other interested technical parties, the Household Products Database was designed to also provide useful information to the general public. As indicated on the database’s home page image above, the database structure is sub-divided first by product category.

Once a specific category is selected, the database is further sub-divided into different use classifications and then specific products are identified by brand and product name where fairly detailed information about chemical safety information for each product is listed.

The HHS/NIH Household Product Database website provides a web portal where questions such as the following can be answered:

• Who are the manufacturers for the different brands and how might they be contacted?
• Do the products you normally use contain chemicals you should worry about?
• What chemicals are present in the brand you use and how much of each are present?
• What are the potential health effects of the chemicals in household products?
• How safe are the chemicals present in household products?
• What actions are recommended if someone is inappropriately exposed to the chemicals in a product?

And so forth …

Much of the initial information provided in the Household Products Database was compiled from information and data provide by the manufacturer or their representative in the form of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS).  If more detailed information is desired about the chemicals listed in the search results, additional links to more technically detailed databases (often compiled from sources other than the manufacturer) are also provided.

If you would like more information about the Household Products Database or the other information sources accessible from the HHS/NIH site, contact: tehip@teh.nlm.nih.gov.