Green Up Your Holidays

Whether you are planning on having a holiday party of just hanging out with the family during your Christmas season it's easier than ever to green up your holiday season. If you are still new to the green process you can start small..don't feel intimidated.

Here are some easy tips I share with others who want to take either the first step or the next step in going green:

* Use Gift Bags
If you are new to going green this may be your first year of only buying gift bags. Many of us have been using gift bags for years, but for different reasons. A lot of people feel they are easier (especially men I have noticed:)) If you have been using gift bags for the last 15 years you probably didn't know you were taking steps towards going green. When you buy gift bags they are easy to reuse and easy for the gift recipient to reuse. Wrapping paper just simply gets tossed. I know very few people who are careful enough to save their wrapping paper. Start now transitioning your holiday to gift bags. Many store such as Wal-Mart, Target, Big Lots even your local Dollar Store sell them for a pretty good price.

Now, the important thing to remember is not just to buy the gift bags it's to keep and reuse those gift bags. Tip for ya...It can be hard if you do write the name directly on the bag. A way around that is to place the tag for the recipient right on the tissue paper of the bag. Then you are free to use it for whomever you want the following year or that recipient can reuse it easily.

* LED or Solar Lights
Start making the transition to either solar lights or LED lights. I use a lot of solar lights. They are hard to find it stores if you go beyond path lights. Many online stores have a great selection though. While they are more expensive remember they use no energy at all. Some require batteries and if you are using rechargeable AA batteries then you have solved the problem. Here are some places you can find a good selection.

Amazon Click Here
Mr. Light Click Here
Solar Santa Click Here

If you are not willing to go entirely solar for your holiday light collection you can try out the new LED lights. These lights are a bit more expensive then the traditional holiday lights but you can find some great holiday specials at major retail stores this time of year. LED lights emit twice the amount of light for a fraction of the cost. So they are more expensive in the beginning but will pay off by the end of two holiday seasons. You never know, you might get a good deal on them too! Especially with the way the economy is running now the sales seem to be huge at the major retailers. LED lights come in all sorts of varieties. String lights for your tree or outdoor lights.


Until next time......

Be sure you visit http://www.SwitchYourHouse.com to sign up for our free monthly product drawing.

Some Earth Friendly Alternatives To Toxic Dryer Sheets

It's Time To Green Up Your Laundry!

There are so many things in our household that we do not even think of when when it comes to thinking of toxic hazards. Toxic dryer sheets are one of those culprits. They can be a huge culprit when it comes to toxins that we actually take into our bodies because these dryer sheets not only emit toxic fumes but they get into our clothing so they then seep into our skin when we wear them.

What most people don't realize is most commercial dryer sheets are filled with so many types of toxic chemicals including Benzyl Acetate, Benzyl Alcohol, Chloroform and Linalool; none of which are good for the environment - or you. Some of these compounds are known carcinogens. Carcinogens have known links to cancer. In my recent research it saddens me to realize just how many of our household products actually contain carcinogens (including baby wash!...but more on that later)

If you're looking for a greener alternative to dryer sheets; here's a couple of ideas that are very easy and cheap to do:

• Of course a very easy one is hang your clothes out to day..I know for myself that is not always an easy alternative. I live in the mid-west and the weather is not always cooperative when it comes to that. If you are doing light loads though I have found even hanging a line in the laundry room can do the trick if outdoors isn't always an alternative for you.
• Liquid Fabric Softener
  
• Dryer balls -- now you need to be careful with these some are great and actually reduce your drying time also so they are using less energy, but be sure you check the label. Some are made from are made from PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride).
• Non Toxic Earth Friendly Dryer Sheets. The Shaklee Get Clean line dryer sheets not only do not contain any of these common toxins found in other dryer sheets. They are a natural vegetable based softener. They are also bio degradable and Recyclable which I have noticed is very hard to find in combination Click Here for more info.

If you start looking at the small things in your home that are bringing in these toxins and wipe them out one at a time you don't have to break the bank to do it and it will slowly transform your life!

Great New Site I Found

Hello everyone! I found this great site that has a great variety of stuff that is made with recycled products or just some neat stuff you can't find anywhere else. It's pretty cool and seems really reasonable! It's called Green Feet. Click Here

Are You Living In A Toxic Home?

Most of us are not even aware of the scary statistics that exist in our own homes. The EPA estimates that air pollution in our homes is actually 2 to 5 times higher than outside. This statistic is made up of many different things but a lot of that statistic is actually our made up of our cleaning products. Most of us spend 90% of our time indoors instead of outdoors exposing us even more to those toxins.

Here are some more statics that could really scare you:


* There have been 81,000 chemical have been registered with the EPA in the last 30 years and fewer than 20% have been tested for toxicity.
* The poison control center also reports that 90% of all poisonings actually occurs in our homes and in 2005 there were 218,316 reported poison exposures from household cleaning products.
* 20 million people in the United States suffer from asthma
* 1 in 13 school aged kids have asthma.
* The asthma rate has gone up 160% from 1980 to 1994 for children under the age of 5 and that was the last large study done. Who really knows how much worse the statistics could be today.

We know that these changes are effecting our children. Common household cleaners and appliances give off fumes that can cause developmental damage in children and have been shown to lead to cancer in adults. Dr. Herbert Needlman a pediatrician and professor at the University of Pittsburg states " We are conducting a vast toxicological experiment in our society in which our children and our children's children are the subjects."

Here is an example:

Butyl Cellosolve, found in many household, window, shower and tile cleaners. Is noted by the EPA as a Harmful Respiratory Irritant. When you spray products that contain this ingredient you and your family actually inhale the toxic fumes EPA study shows that women who spend 15 min cleaning the shower scum inhale 3 times the acute limit of this chemical.

The most toxic culprits that can be found in most households are oven cleaners drain cleaners, wood and metal cleaners and polishes, tub tile and shower cleaners, toilet cleaners and chlorine bleach.

So what can you do to change this? First and foremost get rid of all the culprits!! All of the cleaners that are listed above are all designated hazardous household waste. Improper disposal of these items according to the CPA can cause harm to the environment and human health. So you do need to contact your city's waste management to see how they would like you to dispose of these products. You will not make a bit of difference in your home if you do not first and foremost get rid of these products.

Do your research. One of the most important decisions you can make is to decide what you will bring into your home. You can visit the website listed below and find out exactly what chemicals are in each cleaner you are using and who are the worst culprits.

http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/ingredients.htm


Next, find an alternative. There are many brands popping up left and right in stores and online claiming to be non-toxic environmentally friendly cleaners but beware. Educate yourself. Simply changing the bottle that they use for their cleaner does not make it non-toxic and safe for your home. There are many chemicals as well that are not listed on the backs of cleaning bottles because they are not required to. Companies are able to get around this by saying these ingredients are their "trade secrets".

The alternative that I personally use is Shaklee cleaner and later started my own business. I started using them about two years ago because of the background that I found out about the company. It has been a "green" company since the 1950s when green was just a color. Everything about the company says non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Everything is packaged in a condensed form so as not to produce additional landfill waste. So it's not just recyclable it's REDUCED, which we all know is just as important if not more. My favorite product that they have is Basic H2™. It's only $12 and you can use it for years. It will save you thousands of dollars. Just this one bottle I use for all of these purposes and I am always learning more.

* Window Cleaner (the only thing that gets my doggies nose prints off my window without smearing:)
* De-greaser (heavy duty cleaning)
* Unclogging Drains
* Mopping the floor (I mixed it up and put it right in the bottle on my Swiffer)
* Hard Wood Floor Polishing
* Removing Paint
* Washing Dishes
* Mixed as Regular Household Cleaner is a bug repellent
* A couple of drops in bath water to clear up skin irritation and rashes
* Carpet Cleaner (spot remover and in your carpet cleaner as well)
* Laundry Pre-Spotter
* Washing The Car
* In Place Of Armour All


Oh my gosh I could go on forever. As you can tell this one bottle can basically replace everything in your cleaning cabinet and unlike a lot of other non-toxic environmentally friendly cleaners it does not require you to work any harder to get things clean.

I personally went on the quest for cleaning changes when I saw an Earth Day special a couple of years ago on the link between cleaning products and allergies and asthma. My little boy had been diagnosed with indoor allergies at less than 3 months old. By the time he was 5 he was on 6 different allergy medications a day. Within a few weeks of seeing that special I had successfully switched everything in my house. I took all the old stuff out and brought in my handy starter kit. I cleaned my house from top to bottom and for the first time was able to wash his laundry with the rest of the families with the new detergent I got as well. Three weeks later...yes literally 3 weeks..he was off all of his allergy medicine. He is now 7 years old and I am happy to report we have never had to revisit the allergy specialist nor take another allergy medicine or breathing treatment. He hasn't had an ear infection which he had at last count 28 of them in his 5 years. There have been no health problems at all. He rarely even brings any bugs home from school.


I can't even explain the need I feel to scream about these products from a mountain top. After all Shaklee is a great company that has 250 products and every one of those products is natural, non toxic and have nothing but health injected into them. But for me the Get Clean™ lined literally changed not only my son's life, but mine as well. I understand that in these tough economic times we all need to cut corners where ever we can. Understand that this does not have to be at the price of your health. With everything included in the Get Clean™ starter kit you will actually save $2400 over the next year. It's time for you to stop and think before you spray. Really think about what you are inhaling and know there are alternatives out there.


To Find Out More About The Get Clean™ Starter Kit which can replace everything in your home to a non toxic environmentally friendly alternative from kitchen to laundry and also save you $2400 over the next year visit http://www.SwitchYourHouse.com

School Supply Hypocrite

So I have been mulling this one over for a while and maybe it's just me I don't know. But it's irritating me. We turned in our school supplies earlier this year. I really do love our school district so do not get me wrong by this post, but this to me is something that I think only parents can change.

Our school has stickers posted everywhere that they use only environmentally friendly cleaning products as a lot of school districts do now which is GREAT! For me personally this means my son no longer has to take allergy medicine at home, because we now have environmentally friendly cleaners at home and at school. His allergies after years of illness I found to be from cleaning products. But one thing alarmed me, as I was browsing the school supply list guess what is listed. Please include a box of CLOROX WIPES!! Are you kidding me??

The school has to be aware of what is in these products or else they would not have gone through the trouble to change the entire school district last year. I do understand the convenience of having those cleaning wipes handy but there are environmentally friendly alternatives that come in easy to use methods. I normally do not get crazy about little things like this, but why change the entire school and then request something like this? We all know the dangers of that stuff and also know that there is really no need for it. Of course the company wants us to think so or they would have no way to market their product! Some good soap and warm water does the trick just fine. But seriously Clorox wipes, the friendly company that makes bleach! So there is my two sense. I will be writing a letter to the school district and I am not sure that one voice will make much of a difference but my feeling is my district does seem to live in this century since they did change over their other products I just don't think they always think things through.

Oh I should say since this is my going green blog let me rephrase. I will EMAIL a letter to the district...not write one lol.

Back To School Green School Supplies

I noticed this year when I was doing my back to school shopping for the kids that so many places now offer recycled or renewable recourse school supplies! Green school supplies seem to be popping up everywhere. But that can be a catch for those of us watching how much we spend. While that is all great I noticed for example a composition notebook that was around $1.50 was around $2.75 for the same recycled version. A lot of the plastic boxes that we used in the past have now changed also to materials that are renewable and while this is good for the planet to have these great options sometimes it's not as good on our pocketbooks.

We have all heard every little bit helps so here is a tip for you. We all know the general essentials the kids are going to need each year. Maybe we can't pinpoint the exact list, but we know the basics. So why not go green school supply school shopping now! You maybe saying what I just got done! That's exactly the point. Now that all the kids are back in school many large stores such as Wal-Mart and Target put those extra supplies they had left on clearance. For example right now most of the supplies at Target right now are 75% off. So why not set aside a drawer somewhere or a storage container and grab those supplies for next year now. Then you can purchase those wiser options that we now have at a price even less than the regular notebooks you purchased two or three weeks ago. It doesn't hurt to have a stash anyway. I know for my kids I have to keep them for the year anyway because there is always a orange folder getting torn up, or using up a notebook so plan ahead now while you can and grab those recycled paper items that maybe you couldn't afford the 1st time around!

Don't forget looking for the BPA free lunch items you can find as well. After all our children's health is worth more than a couple of extra dollars and I bet those are on sell right now too:)

Coca-Cola Shows It's New 'Plant Bottle" To The World.

According to information from the company, the new PlantBottle™ is fully recyclable, has a lower reliance on a nonrenewable resource, and reduces carbon emissions, compared with petroleum-based PET plastic bottles.

“The PlantBottle is a significant development in sustainable packaging innovation,” says Muhtar Kent, chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. “It builds on our legacy of environmental ingenuity and sets the course for us to realize our vision to eventually introduce bottles made with materials that are 100-percent recyclable and renewable.”

The new bottle, made from a blend of petroleum-based materials and up to 30% plant-based materials, is made through a process that turns sugar cane and molasses into a key component for PET plastic. Coca-Cola is also exploring the use of other plant materials for future generations of the PlantBottle.

Something good to know!

Get Off Junk Mail Lists For Free!

Hey everyone! I am sure you have heard a lot of people talking about all that junk mail that we seem to get in our mailbox. Everyone of these services that I have checked out over the last couple of years seem to charge a fee for their service. Don't get me wrong. Most of them are not expensive on average about $33 a year which isn't a lot, but I have found a service that cost nothing! :) Nothing is better than $33 a year I figure. So Click Here and check out Direct Mail's free service.

Chat soon,
Karen Pore

Mobile Recycling..Such An Easy Solution!

In this day and age we spend so much time in the car. Driving back and forth to work, carting the kids around everywhere. Heck some of us spend more time away from home than in their home. Those of us who have the little organizers in our cars usually have a mobile trash stand. A lot of stores have bags that are made for cars and a lot of people use those. So if we do all that to keep our cars organized and control trash why not create a mobile recycling center? I created a trash bag and then on the floor board I just placed a reusable shopping bag on the spare little space on my floor board to use for recycling. I was putting it all in one container and found that I would get lazy and just get rid of it all in the trash. By separating the things you have as you go mobile recycling really seems to work because it doesn't take any time to throw it in one bag versus the other. So a new idea I tried that I thought I would pass it along..and the best thing? This doesn't cost you a dime:) You gotta love that.

Til next time,
Karen Pore

Cheap Way To Go Green? Turn Off The Water

Here is another cheap way to go green. Turn off the water while you are brushing your teeth!

Depending on the make and model of the faucet the average faucet uses about 1.5 gallons of water a minute. Turning off the faucet while you are brushing your teeth can save you some money throughout the year and also save 2,160 gallons of water per year, per person in your house.

Just a little tip to pass along to you!

Going Green With Rechargable Batteries

There are so many simple and cost effective things you can do to go green. Of course we all have heard reducing what we put in our trash cans can be one of the most important things that we all need to get through our heads. Of course it's great to recycle! Do not get me wrong. I do a ton of it myself, but recycling does produce chemicals in our air from the factories that have to do the recycling, it is much easier on our environment to reduce what we possibly can.

You will notice that I pointed out earlier this year to stop buying bottled water. Going to a water filter in your home, or a pitcher and reusable water bottles. I did that as a new years resolution and I would like to report my savings thus far this year. Taking the amount of money I would have spent on bottled water this year..and we are not even done with the summer. Subtracting out what I spent on my water pitcher and filters and then the reusable bottles (BPA free of course) so far I have saved myself roughly $55, and it's just over half way through the year!

Pretty cool. The great thing is not only is my pocketbook and the environment a little better off..but it is much healthier for my family. Even my doggies get their water in their bowl from my Best Water Pitcher. Click Here if you would like to learn more about the Best Water Pitcher. Of course made by a 100% green company:)

So...let's start reducing some more instead of recycling so much.

One very simple thing you can do to go green is starting using rechargeable batteries. Especially you parents out there. How many times do we change the batteries in those god forsaken toys:) Have a stash on hang that is already charged. You can get AA and AAA batteries that are rechargeable for a very reasonable price now and I have found the easiest way to do this is to keep some charged and keep them handy in a drawer or where you normally keep your batteries so then they are ready to go..then you are more likely to use them. The initial cost is a little bit more, but remember these batteries can be recharged hundreds of times. So it's a huge money saver in the long run.

Even if you don't have kids, think about all the little contraptions we have that take batteries. Our remotes. little gadgets..there are so many things and remember ever little bit helps:)

One other thing you might want to consider is you can also recycle batteries after they have been used instead of just junking them in the trash. But even the amount that you have to recycle goes down with the rechargeable batteries.

Really Easy Way To Go Green!

This is such a simple, a really easy way to go green! It's so simple I actually forgot to even post it. If you are reading this then you can probably do this! Pay bills online and also receive your statements in your email. Some of you may be reading this and not even thinking of this. It's sometimes the easiest things that we forget to do.

I hope you are having a wonderful holiday weekend!

Spring Clean Up, The Green Way

This week our city has what they call Spring Clean Up. It's where the city will take anything for you and to dump without you being charged an extra fee. Some of it is great such as taking our leaves and clipping to compost without being charged a fee per bag or having to get it up there yourself. They will also take away unwanted furniture or junk for you too for now. So I was thinking this week as we cleaned out our shed and garage and got our stuff prepared to take away that while this is a great service there are some alternatives to it that maybe not everyone is aware of. Regardless of the size of your trash it still ends up in the same old landfills. So it goes back again to that old saying once more....one man's trash is another man's treasure.

Here is an alternative that I have been using that my sister in law told me about. It's called Freecycle. You basically post in the forum...I have this outside on my porch come and get it. There are rules, it must be free, but it is a great way to get rid of stuff or maybe even find something you have been looking for. So go and check it out. http://www.freecycle.org/

Another idea for you, is Craigslist and Ebay. In these touch economic times it can prove to be a great way to earn some extra cash!

Hope you are all having a great week,
Karen

Are Your Baby Products Really Safe?

Health is not something I always talk about on this blog but this was sent to me and I just have to say something about it. A lot of times going green is about our earth, but at many times it also ties to your health and we as consumers just do now realize that. Most of the alternatives when it comes to consumption of things in our bodies are really about health also. For example I wrote a lot about bottled water and dangers behind it for ourselves and our children.. not just the impact on the earth. I just really was so upset when I received this study I had to pass it on because it honestly blew me away!

I know a lot of companies drop the ball when it comes to toxins but this completely blew me away. Baby products, yes our precious little babies. I had to pass this on. It's just awful. Sorry if this posts seems a little scientific. Children's bath products contaminated with Formaldehyde, 1,4-Dioxane Despite marketing claims like "gentle" and "pure," dozens of top-selling children's bath products are contaminated with the cancer-causing chemicals formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, according to product test results just released by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. The chemicals were not disclosed on product labels because contaminants are exempt from labeling laws.


1,4-dioxane is a byproduct of a chemical processing technique called ethoxylation, in which cosmetic ingredients are processed with ethylene oxide. Manufacturers can easily remove the toxic byproduct, but are not required by law to do so. Common ingredients likely to be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane include PEG-100 stearate, sodium laureth sulfate, polyethylene and ceteareth-20.


This study is the first to document the widespread presence of both formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane in bath products for children. Many products tested for this study contained both formaldehyde and 1,4- dioxane, including the top-selling Johnson's Baby Shampoo and Sesame Street Bubble Bath.


Formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane are known to cause cancer in animals and are listed as probable human carcinogens by the Environmental Protection Agency. Formaldehyde can also trigger skin rashes in some children.


The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says that "the presence of 1,4-dioxane, even as a trace contaminant, is cause for concern." Contrary to industry statements, there are no regulatory standards that limit formaldehyde, 1,4-dioxane or most other toxic chemicals in personal care products sold in the United States. Other nations have stricter standards. Formaldehyde is banned from personal care products in Japan and Sweden. The European Union bans 1,4- dioxane from personal care products and has recalled products found to contain the chemical.


But there are signs the U.S. is gearing to catch up. Key Congressional leaders point to the findings of this report as further evidence of the need for action. "When products for babies are labeled 'gentle' and 'pure,' parents expect that they are just that," said Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA). "To think that cancer- causing chemicals are contaminating baby shampoos and lotions is horrifying. I intend to soon introduce legislation requiring greater oversight of our cosmetics industry. We need to ensure that the chemicals that are used in our everyday products are safe."


For the study, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics commissioned an independent laboratory to test 48 top-selling children's products for 1,4-dioxane; 28 of those products were also tested for formaldehyde. The lab found that: 17 out of 28 products tested - 61 percent - contained both formaldehyde and 1,4- dioxane; these included Johnson's Baby Shampoo, Sesame Street Bubble Bath, Grins & Giggles Milk & Honey Baby Wash and Huggies Naturally Refreshing Cucumber & Green Tea Baby Wash. 23 out of 28 products - 82 percent - contained formaldehyde at levels ranging from 54 to 610 parts per million (ppm). Baby Magic Baby Lotion had the highest levels of formaldehyde. 32 out of 48 products - 67 percent - contained 1,4-dioxane at levels ranging from 0.27 to 35 ppm. American Girl shower products had the highest levels of 1,4-dioxane.


The full results of the study can be found in the report, "No More Toxic Tub" at www.safecosmetics.org/toxictub.



If you are looking for a safer alternative for baby and infant care products I would highly recommend the new Shaklee baby line that was just launch May 1st. I say this not just because of my own personal beliefs about Shaklee as a company but because there is science behind it. Shaklee Corporation is a climate neutral company (one of the few and one of the 1st). When finding out something so horrible I hate to write about it until I can find a safe alternative and I believe I have found that for you. Check out this video and below I have written some facts about this new product line.

Shaklee's new Shakleebaby products help you protect your most precious gift - your baby. Safety is a top priority for parents when it comes to their children, and Shaklee is dedicated to that concern as well. That's why the Shaklee philosophy has always been, and continues to be, products that are always safe, always work, and are always green.

And that promise is backed up by a 100% Shaklee guarantee, so if you try a product and don't like it for whatever reason, you get your money back. You never have any risk in trying a Shaklee product.

Since Shaklee believes that what goes on your baby is just as important as what goes in your baby, they have developed 4 new personal care products that are:

* Pediatrician tested

* 99% natural

* hypoallergenic

* have no artificial colors or fragrances

* have no parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, formaldehyde, phthalates or 1,4 dioxane

The line includes Gentle Wash that gently gets baby squeaky clean from head to toe safely. Soothing Lotion is formulated with natural moisturizers and soothing herbs to help prevent dry, irritated skin. Diaper Rash Cream is there to heal, sooth, and protect against wetness. Finally, there is Massage Oil for babies, since they love to touch and be touched, to soothe and moisturize.

There are 2 important reasons to protect your baby from questionable chemicals, the first being babies thinner skin absorbs chemicals faster, and second, there's more surface area compared to their body mass which means they have a higher likelihood of toxicity from chemicals.

For more information about this new product line visit:

http://www.SwitchYourHouse.com

What Happens To Your Trash?

After watching the Earth Day specials I started looking around to find a lot more about landfills and things. I found this and I thought I would pass it along. I know we have to have trash, but wow we really need to think about what goes in to our landfills.
Check this our The Low Down On Landfills

Eco-Friendly Weed Killers

It is important to remember when you are working in your yard the chemicals are inhaled and also are washed away by rain and run into our drinking water in some places. We hear a lot about pest asides and there are some great alternatives out there for them but one we don't think about a lot are weed killers. Here is a great alternative for the over the counter weed killers that is non toxic. I haven't tried it myself but will be ordering it now for the spring time yard work.

It's called Deadeye click here vinegar-based spray formula ($8/32 ounces)

For those who want their own do it yourself method you can actually take boiling water and throw it on those weeds. Be careful though, to me that seems a little scary. I am bound to trip on something along my way:) You can also take newspapers or old fabric and cover any area that you want to permanently get rid of areas that can create problems for you, but remember it will kill the grass too.

I hope that helps you in your spring yard work!

Top Myths Of About Going Green

Since it's April fools I thought it would be a great idea to go over some of the myths of going green. There are a lot of places out there that will try to tell you things that sometimes just simply aren't true and some that are open for debate. I thought it would something good for you to take and think about. So happy April!

1) You should recycle all paper

That is not always true. Though of course you want to recycle not everything you think can be recycled can be. There is a myth that you can use a paper plate, napkin, or even pizza box and throw in the recycle bin...and guess making you feel better that you are using paper vs regular plates and paper napkins vs cloth. If there is something on the paper such as oil it can actually cause more harm than good. In the paper recycling process it's different than plastic or glass, paper is broken down using water and as I am sure you have heard before oil and water don't mix. It can cause as much as 700 million dollars in contamination each year. Paper is put in huge vats and recycling plants can only catch so much. If paper is put in there it can contaminate huge batch.

Truth: Many papers can be recycled just be sure you know what you are throwing in there and check your local recycling rules.

2) Throw It Away It's Biodegradable

You have heard many companies switching to biodegradable packaging and that is great! You want to encourage that as much as possible but just because it's biodegradable doesn't make it disappear. That package still sits in a landfill while is breaking down. Also many people think food is the most bio gradable thing out there and that is not true either. In a study done by the University of Arizona found some very interesting things in landfills. They found hundreds of hot dogs, corn start and lettuce dating back to the 1960s. How did they know it was from the 1960s? Because it was mixed with newspapers that were still readable that were dated.

Truth: Recycle if it is possible, use that trash can as little as possible. Those bottles I was talking about most of those are recycle able. Compost if it is possible for you. It's a commitment but it's something that is becoming much more commercial and easier to do. Many places offer compost bins for a decent price and you can use what you compost to fertilize your garden next year.

3) The label says it's Eco friendly

When something becomes popular companies jump on the bandwagon to try to profit from it. While you can't blame them you also don't want to be suckered by them. A lot of people don't know their seals well enough to know if a company is telling you the truth or not. And even then you need to put some thought in to it. Here are some seals to watch for on products to know if it's really Eco friendly. There are pictures

Green Seal


With the Green Seal certification not only is the product safe and eco friendly the company that produces the product is too.


Energy Star

With the Energy Star seal of approval means that the product has been tested and is energy efficient compared to its counterparts.

Also coming soon:

We all remember the other Good Housekeeping seal, well now later this year there will be a green Good Housekeeping seal coming our way.

Truth: Think twice before you guy that cleaner that says Eco friendly or uses the work Green in the name. There could be a good chance there is nothing green about it.

4) Adjusting Your Thermostat Wastes Energy
Many people believe that if they power down your thermostat that it spends more energy to power it back up.

Truth: Actually according to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy that is not true. It uses less energy to set your thermostat at a lower temperature than it does to have it set on one temperature. So if you are out of the house adjust the thermostat. If you can you can get a programable thermostat in your house also very reasonable now days.

5) Going Green Costs A Lot Of Money
While some products that are "green" do seem to be more expensive right now it's because the competition is low. As the consumer demand goes up the prices will drop. Companies charge what they can get away with. Think about how much the price of a hybrid used to cost. I'm not saying we can all go out and buy one tomorrow, but the cost has dropped a considerable amount than it was just a couple of years ago.
Truth: The truth is most green alternatives can be the same price or comparable and some even less...which is what my blog is about:). There are many ways you can go green and save money. Many experts have said some things you need to buy in bulk to save money..the green truth is some items you can buy in bulk and save the amount of packaging you use and the gas you would save! Anymore with the price of gas saving gas is just about going green, it's saving money too!

So I hope that gave you a fun turn on your April Fools day and some things to think about too. Don't be fooled by going green. There are many people and companies that have the best intentions, but others...not so much. Read between the lines and make sure you are getting the truth. You always have to wait for the federal regulations to catch up to the trends. Sometimes that can take a long time.

The Old Saying Save A Tree

Remember how we always used to talk about saving a tree. Now that so many people recycle you will notice there is a them to this blog.....reduce, just recycling is not enough.

So here is an idea for ya. Stop the notes! I am a horrible list maker, I leave a list laying around for everything so this one is soo hard for me. But take advantage of the digital alternatives you have. One your computer or laptop you can take notes there, or make your lists and the good thing is you problbuly won't loose them!

Most any cell phone has a preloaded note system on it. Even if you don't have a fancy phone it's usually still on there. Take advantage of that when your on the go or at home.

A great site I like is called www.jott.com . I like it because you keep all your to do lists, notes everything in one place. You can even call from your home or cell phone and add notes to your calender or lists. Best of all it's free and they even call you with reminders if you set it to do that.

So try it, no more post its, scratch paper. Try the digital transition:). Even though those sticky notes are so small did you know the average person uses the equivilant of a tree 100 ft high and 18 inches diameter every year.

Something to think about. Reduce, Reduce!

Happy St Patrick's Day

In honor of this green day I thought it was the perfect time to send you a quick little note and remind us all there are easy ways to go green! So here is a little list of 10 simple ways to go green.
1) Switch to a CFL bulb instead of a regular light bulb.

2) Watch your home energy. Monitor your thermostat, if it's in your budget for about $70 purchase a pre-set thermostat where you can set the temperature for the week, month season or however long you would like.

3) Unplug things you are not using. Get rid of phantom power. It can take up up to 20% of your utility bill.

4) Recycle. Most cities offer curb side recycling if you city does not there are many community areas to take your recycling. I have a link here on my blog to www.earth911.org and they have a list of community recycling areas. Check all boxes and bottles when you are cooking you would be surprised what can be recycled.

5) Recycle electronics. One person's trash is another person's treasure...remember that. There are many places that will take your old broken printer, cell phone, monitor. Whatever it may be and give you credit towards a new one. You can also visit http://www.electronicsrecycling.org for more information.

6) Stop using plastic bags!! Switch to whatever type of reusable plastic bags. There are cute ones now, practical ones, heck cheap ones. Here are my favorite Click Here because it's my favorite company of course and because of the size and I shop for a family of 4 so I would rather carry 6 bags vs 20 cute little ones.

7) Reduce-- cut down packaging by buying food in larger containers vs small 1 serving containers. That is less that needs to be put in the trash....which sometimes we forget leads to a landfill.

8) Stop buying water bottles!! Most of them end up in landfills and even if you recycle there is no reason you can't use a water bottle to refill. We all know that tap water is safer than bottled water anyway. So there isn't a health factor there.

9) Shop smart at the grocery store (source: Green Daily). One way to do this is to look for the USDA Organic label, which certifies food hasn’t been exposed to things such as pesticides or synthetic fertilizers or growth hormones and that the soil where they were grown is free of these, as well. They may be more expensive but they are much healthier. So you have to decide what is more important.

10) Use less water. Shorten showers if possible. Even if it's one a week every little bit helps. A lot of people have started collecting rain water also for use in their lawns throughout the summer.

Now these may all seem overwhelming but don't get discouraged! Take them a little bit at a time. Maybe switch one bulb at a time, or pick one things you know you can do full time and most of these actually save you money. And in these tough economic times, who can't use that.

Happy St Patty's Day,
Karen
www.KarenPore.com

Are You Having A Party Soon??

Do you have any parties coming up at your home? Try something different this time. If your party is a manageable size don't use plastic or paper plates. Break out the real stuff. Use regular plates and cups in place of those plastic ones. If you are having a child's birthday party and you really want to go with a theme they will want you can carry that theme with the cake or some decorations.

Yes, it may take you some extra time to wash those dishes (FYI you use less water with a dishwasher than with hand washing dishes) but you will save some trash along the way. You will also save yourself a little cash.
Talk with you soon,
Karen

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http://www.SwitchYourHouse.com

Green Tax Savings

I have been doing some research while preparing my taxes and found some information I thought was worth passing along.
Here is a great article I found about tax savings on green upgrades to your home. Some of them are a little costly, but I know home improvement comes around sometimes whether we want it to or not and there are some interesting things to keep in mind.

Green Tax Savings: $500 Energy Tax Credits for Upgrade to Your Primary Residence

Certain eco-friendly upgrades to your home can qualify for federal tax credits through the end of this year. A credit is much more valuable to you than a standard tax deduction. A credit is a dollar for dollar reduction in your tax bill. A deduction’s value is based on your marginal tax bracket. For example, a $500 tax credit reduces your taxable income by $500. A $500 tax deduction for someone in the highest income tax bracket of 35% is only worth $175 ($500 x .35)
The maximum lifetime energy credit you can claim for upgrades to your primary residence is $500 total. Among the energy-efficient upgrades that qualify for the credit are:

New windows, storm windows, sky lights: credit on 10% of the cost up to $200 total for all windows.
New Exterior doors: credit on 10% of the cost up to $500.
Metal roofs: 10% of the cost up to $500.
Insulation. Credit on 10% of the cost up to $500.
Central air/heating: $300 credit.
New Furnace: $150.
Geo-Thermal Heat Pump: $300.
New Water Heater: $300

So keep these things in mind while doing home upgrades.

Have a great day,
Karen Pore
http://www.green4yourfamily.com/

Trying To Go Green? This One Is Easy

If you have been trying to figure out what you can and can't give up to go green I have found an easy one for you. Most of us use our computers, phones all these electronics to find phone numbers anymore. Not the old phone books we used to end up using. Most of mine ended up in the recycle bin. An even better way to go green is rather than not ever using them and recycling them just sign up to opt out of getting them in the 1st place!!

A lot of people have chosen as one of their going green resolutions this year is to reduce junk mail and that sort of thing, it's a great idea!! I get WAY too much of it, but some of those services do cost you money. But this one is free and saves from something else cluttering your house and some paper too.

Visit http://www.yellowpagesgoesgreen.org/stop-yellow-pages/ to sign up today to stop receiving the yellow pages and/or white pages.

Do You Have A New Years Resolution?

Happy New Year everyone!

I hope your year has gotten off to a great start. Maybe we should put some thought in to how to get your year started out right! If you are like anyone else I'm sure you have heard all about other people's New Year's resolutions or you have already committed to your own. A lot of us set those resolutions that we put so much time and thinking in to only to find at the end of the year we forgot about them by February. I have a different idea for you!

Why don't you try setting your resolution for something that will help yourself and your household. Make yourself a green resolution for the year. I don't think that going green should take up a lot of time and money. There are so many simple and easy ways to start to transform your lifestyle and your home at little cost. Most of them involve replacing things you already have.

I have some simple ideas for you if you are not knowledgeable about them yourself. I won't go in to a great amount of detail right now because this email would go on forever! I will break each thing down in other newsletters if there are some things you want to know the cold, hard facts on. So take an idea, take two and make them a part of those New Years Resolutions.

Changing your light bulbs from standard bulbs to compact CFL light bulbs. If you choose to go as far as to throughout the year switch over all the bulbs in your house as I did last year know up front it can get a little costly. But these bulbs are not only less harmful but also last much longer. The regular CFL bulb lasts about 7 years. Also check the package for the voltage converter so you will know what type of bulb you need. I even got a larger bulb for my garage and outside lights.

Stop using paper or plastic---- Get cloth reusable bags. If you are a busy mom like me it can actually be hard to change over. I would always get to the store and not have the bags and of course I needed a lot of them for a family grocery trip. If that does every happen to you a lot of stores like Wal-Mart have a plastic bag recycling drop box at the front of the store. Be sure you bring them back.

Here is a link to a great 6 pack of bags Click Here

They also have a removable base so that makes them a lot more durable for cans and heavy things. If you are a single guy or gal you can find all sorts of stylish bags now. Even lunch bags if you carry the plastic bag in.

I sometimes find it helpful too to get a little bag that folds up or has a container that fits in my purse for little things I might need a bag for, not a big trip to the store. Click Here to check those out.

Changing your water supply! Stop buying bottled water ASAP! You can read my previous post for a lot of detail on why that is so important.Bottled water vs tap water isn't even a ? in my mind anymore. But my answer to the water problems is using a water pitcher that is eco friendly Click Here to check out the pitcher. And I put that water into. I like Klean Kanteen Click Here because they offer stainless steel water bottles in many sizes and even with a sippy cup lid too for the little ones.

These are just a few choices for you and I could give you lots more, but I will wait. This gives you some things to mull over and they aren't going to break the bank but make a HUGE difference.
Hope you had a great holiday season.

Until next time,
Karen Pore

http://www.SwitchYourHouse.com