GOING GREEN

The world is changing. People today are going back to the basics. Part of it has to do with the economic climate and part of it is that people today care more about the planet and how what we do affects the planet and its people.

Personally, I care about my health. I seem to have gotten more “sensitive” to scents and chemicals as I’ve gotten older. Throw in a mild case of Asthma and everything seems to bother me these days.

So, I’ve slowly eliminated (or banished) a number of things from my home. Nail polish, polish remover and perfume have been banished from my home. My daughter has vowed to come up with an odorless and chemical free nail polish. And I hope she succeeds.

Cleaning products, harsh chemicals and toxic fumes have also been banned from my house. Replaced by “earth friendly” or “chemical free” or “green” products.

Watkins has a great line of “earth friendly” cleaning products that really work and don’t make me wheeze ! (www.watkinsonline.com/fried)

There are numerous sources of “green” cleaners. And going back to basics not only saves the earth but saves you money too !

A bottle of vinegar and a box of baking soda can clean your entire house. You can use vinegar and water to clean windows.
Make a paste of baking soda and water to get rid of stains in your sink and countertops.
Unclog your drain by pour baking soda down your drain followed by a cup of vinegar. Step back as it will bubble up like a volcano!
Use a mixture of ½ tsp. olive oil and ¼ cup vinegar to use as furniture polish.
Sprinkle baking soda on your carpet to get out odors. Vacuum up after a few minutes.

These are just some of the ideas for earth friendly cleansers – and you thought they could just be used for
cooking!

Plastic bags. Everyone knows that plastic does not biodegrade, yet people still use plastic bags for their groceries. Even my husband does! Why? Because we haven’t gotten in the habit of remembering to take the cloth bags out of the trunk of the car! It will take time to change our habits….but if each of us starts using cloth bags we can save thousands of trees.

Plastic and Styrofoam plates and utensils. There are now alternatives to disposable plates. Products that are biodegradable, compostable and sustainable. Try plates that are made from “sugar cane fiber”. They biodegrade in 60 – 90 days. Cups that are made from “cornstarch” biodegrade in 150 days. There are many site on the internet that have products available that are more earth friendly and won’t be around 100 year from now. An internet search of “going green” or “biodegradable products” will give you many options to choose from.

Going green is not a “trend”. It is a “must”. Because if we don’t get back to the basics and start eliminating the chemicals and pollutants we won’t have much to worry about. Because we won’t have a planet. Harsh, maybe. But it’s a reality.

It will take a lot of “organization” in our lives. Changing the way we do things and think about things. And that’s the first step. “ Thinking ” about things. And realizing that we have to start caring about ourselves and our earth if we are to have a future.

Go Green and help to save our planet ..... Start today !


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