Toxic Earth
20 Ways to Go GreenPreserve Our Ecosystem Using These Environmentally Friendly Ideas
1. Switch to fluorescent light bulbs. They are more energy efficient and although they cost more, they last longer.
2. Adjust your thermostat. In the winter turn it down a notch and in the summer keep the temperature a little higher.
3. Use reusable bags for shopping. There are so many of them out there and if you are crafty, you can create a tote showing off your individuality.
4. Wash clothes in cold water as much as possible and hang them to dry.
5. Use eco-friendly cleaning products or make your own. Vinegar is great for washing windows, floors and bathrooms. It disinfects by killing germs and gets rid of odors. Just make a mixture of half vinegar and half water. Vinegar is also great for hard water deposits and can be used to clean out coffee percolators. Make furniture polish for wood with one cup of oil and half a cup of lemon juice.
6. Walk, bike, carpool, take the bus or work from home. Consider investing in a more fuel-efficient car when you do drive.
7. Recycle metal, glass and paper. Many companies make products from recycled materials now so help contribute.
8. Compost food items. Compost bins are easy to make and cut down on landfill pollution.
9. Celebrate holidays in less commercialized ways. Create handmade gifts, bake from scratch and have fun making decorations with popcorn, cranberries etc.
10. Buy organic, local and in season produce which cuts down on gas emissions. The fruit and vegetables taste better and are healthier.
11. Buy used items such as furniture, appliances and clothes at garage sales or thrift stores.
12. Use the library or buy used books.
13. When you use disposable plates, consider biodegradable options. Many stores now sell eco-friendly dinnerware made from corn resin.
14. Buy groceries in bulk. The less often you have to travel, the better for the environment as well as your pocketbook.
15. Consider alternative energy options such as solar power. Even when used on a small scale it helps decrease electricity use.
16. Turn lights, computers and televisions off when not in use.
17. Use a push mower to cut your lawn instead of gas fueled or electric. There are also battery-powered options available.
18. Use a rain barrel for watering your garden and save on water usage.
19. Kill weeds naturally without using pesticides. Vinegar and salt have been used with some success. Mulch is also an effective preventative measure. Leaves are the easiest and most commonly used mulch.
20. Support fair trade. When you support fair trade, you lower national barriers, provide jobs for disadvantaged and disabled people and contribute to help improve the environment.
The 
Five Basics for Nontoxic Cleaning
Five Basics for Nontoxic CleaningLearning to clean from scratch—making home-made recipes—can truly work if you take time to understand a bit about the chemistry behind how the materials work. Here are the five ingredients that I find to be the safest, most effective, and useful for cleaning.
home-made recipes—can truly work if you take time to understand a bit about the chemistry behind how the materials work. Here are the five ingredients that I find to be the safest, most effective, and useful for cleaning. Simple Solutions:Baking Soda
A commonly available mineral full of many cleaning attributes, baking soda is made from soda ash, and is slightly alkaline (it’s pH is around 8.1; 7 is neutral). It neutralizes acid-based odors in water, and adsorbs odors from the air. Sprinkled on a damp sponge or cloth, baking soda can be used as a gentle nonabrasive cleanser for kitchen counter tops, sinks, bathtubs, ovens, and fiberglass. It will eliminate perspiration odors and even neutralize the smell of many chemicals if you add up to a cup per load to the laundry. It is a useful air freshener, and a fine carpet deodorizer.
A commonly available mineral full of many cleaning attributes, baking soda is made from soda ash, and is slightly alkaline (it’s pH is around 8.1; 7 is neutral). It neutralizes acid-based odors in water, and adsorbs odors from the air. Sprinkled on a damp sponge or cloth, baking soda can be used as a gentle nonabrasive cleanser for kitchen counter tops, sinks, bathtubs, ovens, and fiberglass. It will eliminate perspiration odors and even neutralize the smell of many chemicals if you add up to a cup per load to the laundry. It is a useful air freshener, and a fine carpet deodorizer. Washing Soda
A chemical neighbor of baking soda, washing soda (sodium carbonate) is much more strongly alkaline, with a pH around 11. It releases no harmful fumes and is far safer than a commercial solvent formula, but you should wear gloves when using it because it is caustic. Washing soda cuts grease, cleans petroleum oil, removes wax or lipstick, and neutralizes odors in the same way that baking soda does. Don’t use it on fiberglass, aluminum or waxed floors—unless you intend to remove the wax.
A chemical neighbor of baking soda, washing soda (sodium carbonate) is much more strongly alkaline, with a pH around 11. It releases no harmful fumes and is far safer than a commercial solvent formula, but you should wear gloves when using it because it is caustic. Washing soda cuts grease, cleans petroleum oil, removes wax or lipstick, and neutralizes odors in the same way that baking soda does. Don’t use it on fiberglass, aluminum or waxed floors—unless you intend to remove the wax. White Vinegar and Lemon Juice
White vinegar and lemon juice are acidic—they neutralize alkaline substances such as scale from hard water. Acids dissolve gummy buildup, eat away tarnish, and remove dirt from wood surfaces.
White vinegar and lemon juice are acidic—they neutralize alkaline substances such as scale from hard water. Acids dissolve gummy buildup, eat away tarnish, and remove dirt from wood surfaces. Liquid Soaps and Detergent Liquid soaps and detergents are necessary for cutting grease, and they are not the same thing. Soap is made from fats and lye. Detergents are synthetic materials discovered and synthesized early in this century. Unlike soap, detergents are designed specifically so that they don’t react with hard water minerals and cause soap scum. If you have hard water buy a biodegradable detergent without perfumes; if you have soft water you can use liquid soap (both are available in health food stores).
soaps and detergents are necessary for cutting grease, and they are not the same thing. Soap is made from fats and lye. Detergents are synthetic materials discovered and synthesized early in this century. Unlike soap, detergents are designed specifically so that they don’t react with hard water minerals and cause soap scum. If you have hard water buy a biodegradable detergent without perfumes; if you have soft water you can use liquid soap (both are available in health food stores). Mold Killers and Disinfectants For a substance to be registered by the EPA as a disinfectant it must go through extensive and expensive tests. EPA recommends simple soap to use as a disinfectant There are many essential oils, such as lavender, clove, and tea tree oil (an excellent natural fungicide), that are very antiseptic, as is grapefruit seed extract, even though they aren’t registered as such. Use one teaspoon of essential oil to 2 cups of water in a spray bottle (make sure to avoid eyes). A grapefruit seed extract spray can be made by adding 20 drops of extract to a quart of water.
a substance to be registered by the EPA as a disinfectant it must go through extensive and expensive tests. EPA recommends simple soap to use as a disinfectant There are many essential oils, such as lavender, clove, and tea tree oil (an excellent natural fungicide), that are very antiseptic, as is grapefruit seed extract, even though they aren’t registered as such. Use one teaspoon of essential oil to 2 cups of water in a spray bottle (make sure to avoid eyes). A grapefruit seed extract spray can be made by adding 20 drops of extract to a quart of water. Caution
Make sure to keep all home-made formulas well-labeled, and out of the reach of children.
Make sure to keep all home-made formulas well-labeled, and out of the reach of children. 