Archive for March, 2007

March 30, 2007 | Food & drink, Organics

As it turns out, Kermit was quite right. It’s not easy being green. Check that. If you’re living on a budget, it’s not easy being green. Environmentalists tend to be upper-middle class folks who can afford the luxury of being green. Check out this article from the Washington Post today. And the author has a point. Compare $3.09 for a gallon of whole milk to $3.89 for a half gallon of organic whole milk. Or $2.49 for Formula 409, versus $4.60 for it’s ecologically-friendly equivalent at a specialty store. It’s true. It’s not easy being green.

I’d like to add to that and say that eating nutritiously also isn’t easy if you’re living on a budget. Look at the eating habits of the lower middle class. My first job was a grocery store cashier. I was always amazed that the people coming through with nice jewelry and expensive cars bought health food. And the folks who were using food stamps and WIC filled up their shopping carts - more often than not - with junk food and very little that was nutritious. But hey, iIt’s cheaper to buy soda than milk. You can fill up your grocery cart with chips and cookies, and spend less than you would on a little hand-held shopping basket full of fresh produce. It’s even cheaper to buy that powdered mac & cheese mix than it is to buy regular pasta. So, if you’re trying to feed your kids without breaking the bank, junk food is a natural choice. No one goes hungry. And hey, the kids like what they’re eating too.

I don’t know what the solution is. I guess it all starts with education. No one is going to buy a pomegranate if they don’t know how to eat one or what the benefits are. But as far as making it financially accessible? Food stamps and WIC help - for those who fall into that category. And there are food co-ops that are moving in the right direction. But I don’t know how to conquer the discrepancy between cheap soda and expensive milk or between sodium-filled convenience foods and fresh steamed veggies. Any ideas out there?

March 29, 2007 | Cleaning tips

When you pull that load of laundry out of the dryer, don’t be so quick to trash the anti-static dryer sheet. Here are some great uses for it:

• Dust lampshades and wood furnishings
• Drop it in the bottom of a trash can, between the can and the liner to dispel odors
• Tear it in half and put each piece inside a pair of shoes to freshen them
• Place one in a drawer or cabinet in the bathroom

The fresh scent will keep last longer than you’d think! And you can use it almost anywhere in your house. Keep it away from infants though, or toddler who mouths new findings.

Being Green, News

CNET published a great article today noting the trend of major corporations like Wal-Mart and Hewlett-Packard to re-design some of their practices and goods to please the eco-friendly consumer.

We’re a finicky bunch, but if major companies like these are willing to take even baby steps in the right direction, I’ll accept that! Sure, it may only be a drop in the bucket, but even a few drops here and there are better than a bone-dry bucket! Besides, if Wal-Mart is going to take steps in the right direction, let’s hope that prompts other retail kings and even ‘the little guy’ to take similar steps, and hopefully start the equivalent of one-up-manship in green corporate practices.

March 25, 2007 | Essential oils

Mmmm… one of my favorites… That slightly sweet, woodsy yet menthol-ish homey scent… I use it to spruce up my homemade cleaning products, I add it to the humidifier, use it to make bath salts, and I keep a few sprigs of eucalyptus tree (when I can find it fresh) atop my piano in the living room. Hmmm… enchanting…

Eucalyptus was known as the “fever tree” in the 19th century because it drove away the mosquitoes that carry malaria.  In fact, it cleans the environment so well that the frail and sick would migrate to places where the tree was growing, just to live in its presence. Eucalyptus has been used to promote healing in wounds, fight infection, and relieve muscle pain. It’s also used in many herbal breathing treatments to help clear airways and promote respiration.

For cleaning around the home, it’s a disinfectant and also works great in laundry to kill dust mites.

March 22, 2007 | Kitchen, Cleaning tips

Two easy ways to clean and freshen your disposal:

• citrus peel: the next time you have an orange or grapefruit (or a lemon or lime), throw the whole peel down your disposal. Run the water and turn on the disposal. The citrus not only cleans it, but freshens the air, dispels odors, and keeps those pesky summer gnats away.
• When citrus isn’t in season, use vinegar: white works best, pour 1/4 cup down the drain, turn on the faucet, and run your disposal. The vinegar cleans, disinfects, and kills odors. The vinegar smell will linger for a few minutes, but it’ll be gone before you know it.

March 16, 2007 | Being Green, News

Yesterday we noted that Parenting Magazine had a (very) brief article on greening the air in your home.  Well, Parents Magazine has outdone them! Thanks, Parents Magazine, for the following features:

Test your GQ (Green Quotient)

8 Reasons to buy a Hybrid Car

28 Ways Your Family can Protect the Earth

Watch out for the myriad ads, but these articles are a big step in the right direction.

Vinegar, Essential oils, Cleaning tips, Cleaning products

Just because you don’t like the chemicals in convenience cleaning products like Swiffer doesn’t mean you can’t use the idea! Don’t ditch your Swiffer! Just keep a spray bottle next to it filled with a mixture of 1 part white vinegar, 1 part water, and scented with your favorite essential oil. I recommend eucalyptus and lavender, but even without the essential oils you’ll have a nice cleaning solution. The smell of vinegar dissipates as it dries.

When you need it, spray your tile or laminate floors (anything except hard wood) with the solution whenever you need a little spot cleaned, run over it with the swiffer, and no need to rinse. Voila!

March 15, 2007 | Cleaning tips, News

This month Parenting magazine offers some tips to help keep the air free and clear in the baby’s nursery.

Thanks Parenting!

March 8, 2007 | Cleaning tips

I love having a pleasant-smelling home, but I’m appalled at how air fresheners work. They use fake scents to trick your nose, and they actually have chemicals that attack your olfactory sense and render it useless for a period of time. It’s pretty awful when you think about it. It’s like nasal fraud… So what to do? With a few things in your kitchen, you can create your own natural scents at home.

Have a small crock pot? If not, a small pot on the stove on the lowest setting would work fine too. Place lemon wedges, orange slices (peel on), a few apple slices, and a couple cloves and a cinnamon stick in it. As it warms up you’ll get a nice homey scent that resonates throughout the home. If this is too holiday-ish for you (orange and cloves are often associated with Christmas), you can just use a few mint leaves with water. Or combine any combination of the above - alter it based on what you have on hand. Add some variation with lime wedges, or even a couple of herbal tea bags!

March 5, 2007 | Essential oils, Cleaning tips

I tried something new today, and I’m so happy with the results! I ordered a concentrated organic cleaner that’s unscented, and when I diluted it to clean my floors, I added some Lemongrass oil. The result is amazing! I have beautifully clean floors (even hardwoods!), and my house now has the clean, uplifting scent of lemongrass.

Here’s some information I found about essential oil of lemongrass:

• The scent is clean, with an earthy-citrus smell, but not overpowering.
• The light, airy scent dissipates relatively quickly but eats odors as it goes.
• It has a calming, anti-depressant affect.
• It’s a natural antiseptic, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-inflamatory.
• It is known to relieve fatigue and headache, and promote digestion, stimulate the appetite, relieve sore muscles, and aid in milk flow in nursing mothers.
• It’s also a great insect repellent!
• It should be avoided during pregnancy or in people with high blood pressure.

Ways to use Lemongrass:

• Add several drops to a solution of 1/2 vinegar, 1/2 water for an all-purpose cleaner.
• Add several drops to your bath.
• Mix a few drops into an unscented massage oil.
• Add a few drops to your laundry detergent or laundry rinse cycle, especially when washing sheets to kill and prevent dust mites.