Natural and Sustainable

We all want our solid wood furniture to look its best. I recently snagged an old radio for about $10 at a tag sale. It is a radio/record player combo with a set of doors underneath the radio and the record player. Behind one door is the speakers and the other door is a storage area for records or other items. The date on the back of the radio states 1951. Well, needless to say the radio had been left out to weather and I had to find some kind of furniture polish to restore the wood of the radio to its original shine and wonder. After much searching I found a few brands that are not only environmentally friendly, but also gives the wood the same look as conventional furniture polishes would. Here are a few of those furniture polishes I found.

1. Method : This is a biodegradable polish and uses omega-9 fatty acids to clean the wood and helps protect it as well. It also uses glycerin to help clean as well. It has a light almond scent and can be used everyday. You can find this furniture polish for about $5.

2. Howard Naturals: This wood cleaner and polish is made from soybean, coconut, and palm kernel oils. It doesn’t leave a slippery residue and is a milky spray that is easy to use. You can find this furniture polish for under $9

3. Daddy Van’s: This is an all natural furniture polish made of beeswax. This is the furniture polish I used to help restore the old radio back to its original beauty. You can chose from scents of sweet orange, lavender, or even unscented oils.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: After paying your bills, the paper parts of the bill you don’t keep for your records, place in your recycling bin for paper.

• For good indoor air quality, request that cabinetmakers use low-VOC, formaldehyde-free glues and adhesives on your cabinets.

• Choose low-VOC, water-based paints, stains and finishes.

• If you enjoy the patina that comes from use and age, and if you live in an arid climate where humidity won’t warp the wood, leave your cabinets unfinished.

• Melamine, the same substance lately contaminating some pet food, is used to laminate cabinets, making them water and stain resistant. Melamine coatings are inert, insoluable, and unlikely to ingested at home; however, they can cause skin, eye and throat irritation and possibly kidney damage in factory workers. The substance is not biodegradable or recyclable, and it’s persistent in the environment. Steer away from melamine in an eco-minded home.

Here’s some additional ideas to keep the eco-friendly behavior going all year long:
Take one step each month to lose 3,000 pounds, then keep shedding that weight.

Month Activity Calculation CO2 Savings:

• January 1: Turn down your thermostat by 2 degrees (53 lbs./mo.) x 6 mos. 318 lbs.

• February 1: Run dishwasher only when full and on its energy-saver mode (70 lbs./mo.) x 11 mos. 770 lbs.

• March 1: Wash clothes in cold water rather than hot (42 lbs./mo.) x 10 mos. 420 lbs.

• April 1: Keep tires properly inflated (21 lbs./mo.) x 9 mos 189 lbs.

• May 1: Dry half your clothes on the clothes line or drying rack (60 lbs./mo.) x 8 mos. 480 lbs.

• June 1: Raise your thermostat from 72 to 73 degrees this summer (40 lbs./mo.) x 4 mos. 160 lbs.

• July 1: Plug electronics into power strip and turn off when not in use (20 lbs./mo.) x 6 mos. 120 lbs.

• August 1: Insulate your water heater (26 lbs./mo.) x 5 mos. 130 lbs.

• September 1: Caulk and weatherstrip your home (72 lbs./mo.) x 4 mos. 288 lbs.

• October 1: Take the bus to work one day a week (13 lbs./mo.) x 3 mos. 39 lbs.

• November 1: Clean your refrigerator’s coils and defrost it regularly (58 lbs./mo.) x 2 mos. 116 lbs.

• December 1: Replace one 70 watt bulb with a 9 watt LED (5 lbs./mo.) x 1 mo. 5 lbs.

YEAR TOTAL 3,035 pounds
If every U.S. household took these steps 160 million tons

*Natural and Sustianable Living Tip: Buy in bulk to avoid excess package waste within your own home.