Natural and Sustainable

We have all heard at least once during the times of Global Warming and going green that taking public transportation, walking or even bicycling is the best way to help the environment overall. Thinking about alternative transportation needs is something that should become a regular thought in anyone’s head.

How much do you end up spending on transportation cost, be it your own car or someone else’s such as carpooling? The main focus on anyone’s mind is about cost. The cost to travel is more than just about money, it’s about the environmental impact it tends to have on the earth, our future and then it comes down to financial headache it brings.

Transportation is about getting where we need to go, bottom line. Whether it’s to a job, grocery store or even to a friend’s house it to get us to point B when taking off from point A. The best way to cut down on these costs is to live closer to where we need to be or get to.

Your thinking should shift from getting to the local park to how am I going to get to the local park? If you live less than a mile from the local park, walk or take your bike. If this isn’t an option, use local transportation.

Not depending on our own cars is a great way to start the change to a better environment and to save you money over all. Learn more at OEC online.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: “Pleasure for an hour; a bottle of wine; pleasure for a year, marriage; Pleasure for a lifetime, a garden.” -Chinese Saying

Find out more about the joys of gardening at Earthly Garden here at 451 Press.

Normally going green to some means spending a lot of money, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Starting small then working your way up the green ladder is easier than you might first think. Here are some great ways to help save you on money and help you go greener in the process.

1. Organic: When it comes to organic foods you may think they are expensive and some are just down right way over priced, but you can buy organic without breaking the bank. Many stores that offer organic foods, such as Whole Foods or even Safeway offer their own brands of organic foods. Whole Foods has their 365 Organic and Safeway has their Organics line. Look to store brand organic to save money and eat better. And going local can help as well, and this is the prefect time of year to start. Better yet, start your own garden and you can guarantee it will be organic because you grew it yourself.

2. Cleaning: When it comes to cleaning there is nothing better than the natural cleaners such as baking soda or vinegar, but you can clean green everyday with other options as well. Salt, lemons, toothpaste and many others can be just as helpful. Look to previous posts here at Natural and Sustainable to learn more about natural cleaners that you already have in your cabinet.

3. Household Expenses: Sit down and consider the cost of things you spend every month. If you can part with a few things like a land line and a cell phone, pick which one you use the most and get rid of the other. In order to go green you must be willing to change. If a few months goes by and you still feel like you are in need of one thing or another, then bring it back in as an expense, if not then good riddance to a bothersome payment for you and the environment.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Look to dollar stores to pick up items in a hurry and cheaper than stores to make last minute casseroles, stews and even pasta dishes. Most stores sell items like canned tomatoes and crackers that are defective or even packaged wrong to save you money. Shop around for the best deal on items though to save on money in the long run.

Toothpaste can be used to clean several items around your home. It may seem silly to use toothpaste, but the main ingredients in standard toothpaste is and can be used as a detergent. Using toothpaste, not gels, tartar control or even whitening pastes can actually clean almost anything.

1. Clean into small cracks with toothpaste and a toothbrush to remove dirt and grime.

2. Clean chrome fixtures throughout the home by adding a small amount to a rag and rubbing with a clean, dry cotton rag.

3. Scuff marks will come off with ease with a dab of toothpaste and a small cloth.

4. Clean and spruce up porcelain with a dab of toothpaste and a clean dry rag.

5. Use toothpaste on silver to bring out the shine you have never seen before. Works great on silver jewelry too.

6. Use toothpaste to clean the outside of an iron to remove sediment and other mineral deposits.

Table salt can be just as good when cleaning around your home. The gritty texture of salt can help with cleaning to scour and any type of salt can be used such as table salt, sea salt, and even kosher salt as well. Here are some tips to adding salt into your cleaning routine.

1. Use salt to remove stubborn stains on glassware. It won’t scratch the way other cleaners and scouring pads will. Can be use on teacups and coffee mugs too without the harm in scratching.

2. Clean stuck on messes on pots and pans. Don’t use on nonstick cookware though, baking soda works best for those.

3. Pour salt on stuck on spills in the oven to remove them with ease.

4. Use salt to absorb grease or other splatters that are oily. Wait about an hour for it to soak completely then wipe clean with a damp rag.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Kelly-Moore’s zero VOC and recycled paints is the way to go when choosing the right paint for the job. Kelly-Moore is a leader in waterborne-coating technology and the first company to offer earth-friendly recycled paint. The company recently introduced zero VOC and low odor Enviro-Coat and Green Coat.

Just as with vinegar, cleaning with lemons can help bring a better air quality to your home and a better way to clean. Here are some tips to cleaning with lemons that will have you wondering why you didn’t clean with them sooner.

1. Cut a lemon in half and dip into baking soda to help fight germs on countertops and cutting boards. Don’t use on stone or stainless steel it could discolor it or scratch it.

2. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice to your dishwasher or dish liquid to help cut grease and kill germs while washing.

3. Rub lemon juice or a lemon half onto faucets and drains to help combat against lime scale and rust. For harder to remove lime scale, let it sit overnight and rinse away with cold water in the morning.

4. Cut a lemon in half and run through a garbage disposal to combat against smell and bacteria and to kill germs in the disposal.

5. Make an all natural bleaching agent by combining 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar with lemon juice.

6. Remove fish smells from hands or other items with lemon juice straight.

7. Add 1/2 cup lemon juice to a normal laundry size load to help bring out the bright white in clothes.

8. Apply straight lemon juice to plastic ware to remove smells and discoloring from any plastic. Let it dry on the container then wash as normal.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: To repurpose sheets and dress up your bathroom sink, make a sink skirt. Start with the finished hem on a sheet and turn upside down. Cut the sheet to the length of your sink to the floor and wall to wall. Turn the raw edge down and sew a straight stitch or use fabric glue. Attach Velcro to the bottom side of the sink and the other Velcro side to the sheet edge. Attach and hide the bottom of your sink and dress up your powder room in 1 simple step. For complete instructions click here.

Vinegar can help inhibit the growth of mold, mildew, and some bacteria like E. coli and salmonella on surfaces. Here are ways to clean around your home with vinegar.

1. Pour equal parts water and vinegar into your coffee maker and run through the cycle several times. Run with clean water through several cycles to flush it out before suing again.

2. Pour 1/2 cup of vinegar into the soap reservoir and run through the cycle without dishes to disinfect the machine.

3. Pour 1/2 cup vinegar down drains and follow with boiling water then cold water to disinfect kitchen drains and bathroom drains.

4. Pour 1/4 cup vinegar into warm water to help clean floors. Don’t use this on marble or wood because it will scratch marble and it will strip wood of its finish.

5. Combine 1 cup water with 1 cup vinegar to clean windows and mirrors or even glass.

6. Spray vinegar straight onto moldy surfaces and leave on for 30 minutes to kill the mold.

7. Soak clogged showerheads in straight vinegar over night to dissolve mineral deposits. Rinse with warm water to rinse.

8. Clean your iron with straight vinegar and rinse with a cool wet rag to remove mineral deposits on the outside of the iron. Run vinegar through the spray cycle to remove mineral deposits from the steaming option as well. Flush through with clean water before use.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Feeding yourself healthy options is easy, but feeding your pet the right choices can be a bit difficult. Instead of going with whatever is available put some thought into what you are giving your furry friend. Look to options like Pegetables dog treats. They are made with real vegetables and they are made with quality ingredients to give you pets the best.

Recycling what’s around you home and used in your garden or throughout your yard or home is a great way to keep many things from heading to the landfill. Here are some projects that can help you pave the way to a more eco-friendly and recycling behavior. Some of these projects can be done in a little over an hour.

1. Soda Pop Irrigation: This project has been around for a long time, and it’s really rather simple to do. Taking an old soda pop 2-little bottle and cutting it in half, remove the cap and shove in the ground next to any plant. Fill the bottle with water and it will help keep those plants that drink a lot, from drying out. You can get the best results in house plants, but use it where ever you need to water.

2. Garden Hose Chair: No really. You can use an old garden hose or a hose that may have a leak to line a chair and it actually holds. Looping the hose around itself is just as secure as the chairs you find on the market and it keeps the house and the chair skeleton out of landfills. Find other ideas for a garden hose here at Freshome.

3. Jelly Jar Chandelier: This is a pretty simple craft that can be made in as little as an hour. You can use jars like the ones pictured here from Casa Sugar or you can even use soup cans and punch holes in decorative designs to hang in your garden or even in your house if you choose. Find more gardening ideas at Earthly Garden here at 451 Press.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Probiotics can help ease inflammation within the body. They are typically used to treat digestive problems, but they may help fight inflammation as well which could be a risk factor for heart disease, cancer and diabetes over all. Probiotics known as Bifidobacterium infantis has anti inflammatory potential, but simply increasing you intake of omega-3 fatty acids and turmeric may yield the same benefits. To learn more about eating more sustainable and natural look to Earthly Eating.

Jadience Herbal Formulas is more than just another natural products company. They are a company that is out to help bring great natural and organic products you way without harming the environment in the process.

They are helping to preserve the earth’s forests and biodiversity while their promotional and sale items are produced on 100% recycled paper.

The company uses recycled corrugated cartons and packaging products as well as no artificial color, dyes or fragrances in the making of the products they sell. There is no animal testing or animal byproducts used except for the use of honey in some products and royal jelly as well.

Jadience Herbal Formulas is proving that companies can make all-natural products while helping the environment over all in the process.

The company is helping to keep the air and waters clean and they practice recycling and composting of all their raw materials. They are paving the way of thinking for those around to help reduce global warming and pollution of our planet.

There are many companies that claim to be helping the environment overall when producing the products that they make. Instead, some companies are hurting the eco-system we live in more than helping it. Jadience Herbal Formulas is going above and beyond these issues to help bring great products, that are good for your skin and don’t cause unnecessary harm to the earth in the process.

Look to Jadience Herbal Formulas in spas worldwide or ask your spa to start carrying Jadience in the future. Express your concern for the earth and how these products are helping chance the spa industry to be a healthier and more planet-friendly.

When it comes to shopping, some people are a pro at it, but what exactly are they buying and what impact could it have on the environment. To help ease the environmental burden look for standards when shopping. Here are some tips to keep you on the right track with your buying needs.

1. Look for labels that have meaning: Look to labels like the certification labels from Scientific Certification System or even the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Certification as well. These labels help to insure for one you are getting a product that wants to have a hand in environmental issues and two the product wasn’t made from virgin materials.

2. Shop where you can trust: This is simple really; it’s the fact of shopping a trusted retailer. Home-improvement stores that are small and have some of the best employee’s right in your own home town maybe where you should look to find the best in green products. And if you can’t find what you are looking for, I am sure they are eager to help.

3. Don’t be afraid to ask questions: Asking about a certain product can really help you gain some understand about where the material can from, what are the byproducts of the manufactured, how was it delivered, maintained and operated and even if the material or product is healthy.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Save paper when it comes to finding out more about a retailer, by not requesting a catalog from them. Many retailers have the option of purchasing products they carry from their online stores. Look to online stores that offer sustainable merchandise as well like Ruby Green, Plover Organics, and Kate Quinn Organics as well.

Here’s to living a natural, sustainable, good life!

Harry Chapin sang “Cat’s in the Cradle” in the 70s, but was he aware of the Cradle-to-Cradle-Certified plan?

Of course the song was so very popular then and it’s still bringing in the dough with remakes and collector’s editions sold almost everywhere. The song is a far cry from the actual Cradle-to-Cradle-Certification and with that comes the need to make sure everything that falls into that category is eco-friendly as well.

Cradle-to-Cradle-Certification is a great way to ensure that what you are using comes from the earth and goes directly back into the earth in the end. It guarantees that is has minimal environmental impact and maximum reuse to it.

There are many companies, wanting to change for the better of the planet adopting this practice and getting this certification. Recently Brad Pitt was behind the making of the paraben-, sulfat-, and dye-free Aloe Vera Biodegradable Liquid Body Cleaners by Kiehls that sells for about $17. The wash is certified Cradle-to-Cradle.

Kate Hudson was behind the creation of the non-animal-testing product from David Babaii for Wild Aid Hair Care line that sells for about $12-$16. These products incorporate blue algae and Dead Sea Salts as well. They are also prarben, sulfate and petrochemical free in every way.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: When it comes to polishing silver look for a better way like clean them. Look to ketchup, Worcestershire sauce or even toothpaste or baking soda will do the trip. You can clean almost any type of metal with these household products from copper, silver and even brass.

Cancer-causing chemicals could be all around your home and you aren’t aware of it.

Laundry detergent, all-purpose cleaners and even air fresheners could be hoarding more in the solution than just a quick cleaner for the stove. Many products contain one or more chemicals like acetone, limonene, acetaldehyde and 1; 4-dioxane and many of these chemicals aren’t even listed on the labels of the products. And it’s not the short-term exposure that you should be as concerned with as the long-term exposure to these chemicals that could lead to cancer and nervous-system damage as well.

When cleaning, whether it’s by doing the laundry or cleaning the oven, chemicals from those cleaners are given off in the form of toxic air particles that in turn we inhale and they sit in our lungs and are absorbed by the body through the blood stream. This can be potentially dangerous to children over time too.

The best way to avoid this is to look to cleaners that are non-toxic and can offer what’s exactly in the make-up right on the label. Look to cleaners like Seventh Generation or the like.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Look to online bill pay to save on paper waste as well as cut the carbon emissions that are given off to produce the paper as well. If one in five households made the online bill pay switch it would save 151 million pounds of paper and avoid producing nearly 2 million tons of greenhouse gas emission each and every single year according to Pay It Green.

1. Boskke Sky Planters: Quality air is a must for anyone who breathes and with that comes the upside down growing air-purifying plants. They hang from your ceiling and are self-watering.

2. Numi Organic Tea: When it comes to tea Numi claims to be the purest tea on the planet and rightly so they should state that. Made with 100% organic ingredients found in China, South Africa and even India and Japan. You can purchase a tea set that has a teapot, strainer and matching cups for under $35.

3. Capable Arts T-shirts: These t-shirts offer 100% organic cotton and fair trade labor which is made in the USA as well. Printed with eco-friendly inks and garment dyes as well. And the best part is the printed designs don’t crack or peel with wear. Pick up a t-shirt for under $30. You can feel good about these t-shirts when you wear them and the goal is to help those that want to make better purchasing choices easier. The t-shirts have a clear message of where you stand on your environment and soul as well.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Summer is coming, so the best way to go green in the summer is to grow your own veggies. Nothing beats being able to sow the soil and plant the seeds to wait for growth and to harvest what you have sheltered and babies the whole time. You take care of the planets and they will give you plenty to reap. To learn more about great gardening techniques, look to Earthly Garden.

Cloth diapers may seem like things of the past, but anymore, cloth as been making a comeback with those who want to help lessen the strain on the environment.

Cloth diapers come any many forms and most people steer clear of them because of the cleaning involved. Our world has come to conveniences and disposable seems to be more convenient than the cloth.

Although cloth diapers offer a rash-free skin, because they need to be changed right off and they offer less stress on the environment because of the lack of plastic and the ability to wash and reuse them time and again.

Wee Bunz in Oregon offers stylish cloth diapers that can be worn just like the disposable type, with a little more flair than just the normal designs and structure like plastic diapers.

They offer colors in a wide range of styles that offer a Velcro closure and they look great on boys and girls that are still in diapers and potty training as well. Check out their wide range of disposable diapers and change your thinking to a more sustainable one.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Always try to see the bright side of life and to help with that allow bright light to flood your living space. Open curtains on sunny days and always look to the positives in no matter what the issue. When you wake in the morning look for one or more optimistic points in your life each morning. In no time it will help you realize how positive your life really is.

When I say for a better environment I not only mean the planet, I also mean your present environment as well, your breathing environment and your family and living environment as well. The air quality in our homes can be 10 times worse than the air quality outside. With that comes illnesses and other sickness. To help prevent that, go green with your cleaning and here are some ideas to help get your started.

• Rust Remover: Sprinkle sea salt on the rust, and then squeeze a lemon or a lime over the salt. Leave on the rust for about 2 hours then scrub the area with the rind of the citrus fruit.

• Window Cleaner: Mix together 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1/2 tsp. castile soap and 2 cups warm water. Pour into a spray-top bottle and use with newspaper to clean windows, stove tops and even shower doors and curtains.

• Wood Cleaner: Mix together 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 tsp. castile soap and a drop or two of olive, canola or other carrier oil in a bowl and with a sponge, soak up some of the mixture and ring out the excess. Wash the wood surface and all to dry. If the smell of vinegar is too much, place a few drops of essential oil into the mixture as well.

• All-Purpose Cleaner: 1/4 cup white vinegar, 2 tsp. borax, 3-1/2 cups hot water (not too hot that it burns the skin though), 1/4 cup castile soap like Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap or the like, 10 drops eucalyptus essential oil, 10 drops lemon essential oil and 10 drops peppermint essential oil.

Mix everything together but the castile soap into a spray bottle. Add the castile soap last and use on surfaces like kitchen counters and bathroom sinks.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: No matter what your budget allows, simple cleaning solutions can be made from everyday household products that are really inexpensive. Look to baking soda and vinegar first before spending money on something more expensive and that can pose a health risk.

Plastic bags have been under scrutiny for years now and with that come the making of useful canvas and other bags such as the ones that can be packed in a backpack, your pocket, or even in a purse. These bags make it easier for you to steer clear of the plastic bags that are no almost everywhere you go anymore. There are certain companies and businesses that are allowing you to bring back the plastic bags to be recycled into new bags and this is a great way to help keep them out of landfills and clear up the environment, but just to recycle them puts a strain on the eco-system of earth as well.

Reusable bags are as easy as ever to pack away and almost everyone has at least one by now and to add to that you can now find ones that zip closed and tuck into anywhere so you are never without. Here are some of the best easy-to-carry bags available.

1. Chico Bags: This company is all about reducing the strain on the environment with their options of The Original bag, the Vita, the RePete and the Limited Edition. These bags are easy to carry in and store in the glove box of your car. Bags run about $10.

2. BAGGU Bags: These bags, when used, will replace about 300 to 700 disposable bags. They are bright in color and care really fun to use. The company offers the bag options of the regular Baggu, penguin bag, produce bag, Lincoln bag, baby bag, the big bag and even a grocery kit that comes with plenty of Baggu bags to carry all of your groceries.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Taking showers can use a lot of water and a lot of water gets wasted as well during showers. To help with this try timing yourself with a shower time from Ripple Products. You can even make it a game and try to beat other family members.

We have all read the reports on how much carbon emission our cars give off and the gas and the oil and everything else about a car, but have you really sat down and actually thought about the cost involved in the transportation your car offers you everyday? I am not just talking about getting you from point A to point B, I am talking about the over all cost of even owning a car. The cost out of your own pocket and the cost on the eco-system and planet around said car?

Transportation is a lot more than just the roads and the cars on the road and it’s a lot more than just getting from work to home. Transportation shouldn’t be that in which we have to take our over-extended Suburban’s to a local park because there isn’t any form of sidewalks or bike paths to help us get there without using the lanes. The fact is, whether there is a path for you to walk on or not, we should find a better way to get from A to B.

If you think about transportation, do you ever consider where and how your food is trucked in? Transportation covers how our food is shipped and transported to us as well. How far and how many miles has that beautiful bouquet of flowers taken to get to your table in that vase?

When we consider transportation in a new light and we see where we can cut out unnecessary miles just with simple changes, then we really grasp the concept of how you can better your traveling and the planets strain when it comes to transportation.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Alternative transportation is the best way to go when getting to a location that is within walking distance.