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.