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Five simple ways to care for the planet

August 1, 2009 in Green Your Home by Jennifer | No comments

You can do so many things to go green but sometimes the best things are little things that you do over and over without fail. These small changes add up. Here are some great ideas…

Buy recycled and recyclable packaging only: Choose one item; toys, home goods, food, or so on. Food is an easy one. Every time you buy packaged food make sure the packaging is both recycled and/ or recyclable. It’s super easy to locate this sort of packaging. First off, many products will be labeled with the words, “100% recycled packaging” or sometimes a lower content. If there is no label look at the underside of the package. If it’s bright white it’s likely made from new, not recycled materials. If it’s brown or gray, it’s usually made from recycled content.

Boycott a conventional product: Be sure that this is a product you might actually use and or like, but boycott it on account of an eco-unfriendly quality. For example, your favorite shampoo if it’s tested on animals. Boycott and write the company to let them know why you refuse to buy it anymore.

Buy three new reusable items this month: Cloth napkins, a water bottle, a stainless steel food container instead of plastic baggies, a reusable coffee filter, and so on. You’ll get a cool eco-product and cut your consumption of disposables.

Fix something: Broken appliances, gear, clothing, and toys litter the landfills. Can you fix something instead of tossing it out? Why not fix two things? It’ll become a habit.

Turn out the lights once a week: Light candles, play board games, go outside for an evening walk, or read stories on the patio at dusk. You don’t need electricity to have fun.

What simple steps are you taking to go green?

What is low-impact living?

July 23, 2009 in Green Your Home, Save Energy, Save Money by Jennifer | No comments

Low-impact living, in basic terms, is living lightly, or as lightly as you can on the planet. Everything we do, from the day we’re born, affects the planet. Your goal as someone who wants to live green and protect the planet is to lower your impact when you can. You can’t have a zero impact – it’s impossible, but you can take small and major steps to green all aspects of your life.

First of all, if you don’t know you’re impact you’re stumbling around in the dark. Calculate your own eco-impact using the new and improved Low Impact Living Environmental Impact Calculator. Once you enter your zipcode this powerful calculator will show you your personal carbon footprint along with the energy, water, wastewater, trash, and stormwater runoff footprints of your home and lifestyle. Additionally, it recommends projects based on your specific inputs that can save you money, reduce your environmental impact, or in many cases both at the same time.

Once you have your score the next step is decisions and research. It’s hard to lower all your impacts at once so you can choose a couple to work on, and once you get those impacts parred down, choose some more. You can make decisions based on a few factors:

  • Choose an impact that will save you money – i.e work on energy savings for the home.
  • Choose an impact you believe in – i.e. if you’re passionate about ocean life work on buying sustainable seafood and doing some beach clean-ups.
  • Choose an impact that affects many aspects of sustainability – i.e. choosing to work on your transport impact can save you money, help halt the effects of global warming, and make air quality better in your direct area.

Here are five common impacts we make on the planet and some tips for lowering your impact…

Tour the World’s Greenest Certified House

March 27, 2009 in Healthy Green Home, Sustainable Building by Jennifer | No comments

The Live Green, Live Smart Institute recently announced that they have received the Outstanding Custom Project Award from the US Green Building Council (USGBC) for the highest rating home in the history of the LEED for Homes program. That’s not bad eh?

The house referred to as The Sustainable House, located in Minnetonka, Minnesota is a residential construction, research project conceived and managed by the Live Green, Live Smart Institute. This was actually a remodel of a 1948 rambler, and took two years to green up. Incorporated in the redesign are various eco-friendly home options such as sustainable energy systems, water saving devices, significant reuse of materials and extensive environmental landscaping.

The best part is you can tour the home, even if you don’t happen to be Minnesota bound. The home is featured online and has some nifty interactive features going for it. Clicking in specific areas will give you a run down of how they greened the space.

Check out the house!

[image via Live Green, Live Smart Institute]

Are Natural Wood Cutting Boards Safe?

March 10, 2009 in Eco Kitchen, Food & Drink by Jennifer | No comments

Many people don’t want to use plastic cutting boards due to the non eco-friendly quality of plastics overall. On the flip side, many people worry about wooden cutting boards because they’re afraid of germs staying on the board. So… which is safer? Wood or plastic? And which is a more eco-friendly choice?

Germs can actually stay on both plastic or wood – the catch is in how you clean your cutting board. Studies show that if you clean your wooden cutting board properly, you can even use it safely for meat.

How to be safe:

  1. Use two cutting boards – one for produce and one for meats.
  2. After use, wash in the hottest water possible and a basic natural soap (say like an eco-friendly dish soap). Dry with a clean towel.
  3. Never leave your board sitting around wet – dry it as well as you can as dampness aids in bacteria growth.

As for the eco-friendly qualities, wood is a better choice. Especially if you get a sustainable wooden cutting board – such as a board made from sustainably harvested bamboo. Plastics are made from non-renewable resources, so plastic cutting boards are never going to be a better choice. That said, another great option is snagging a Paperstone Cutting Board from Preserve. These cutting boards are made with 100% recycled Forest Stewardship Council certified Paperstone and feature a knife-friendly surface with non-porous, petroleum-free coating. Plus these boards look great (see below).

To learn more read; Green Cutting Board Know-How.

Green Cutting Board Know-How

October 30, 2008 in Green Your Home by Jennifer | No comments

Ah the cutting board. Not something we think about all day long right? Still, in most homes the cutting board is a kitchen item that could be made greener.

Stay clear of plastics! Rule number one folks. Plastic anything is not so green, but a plastic cutting board, one exposed to the foods you eat, well, that’s worse. Aim for a sustainable cutting board such as one of these three available from Sur La Table…

Bamboo Cutting Board:

Teak Cutting Board:

Epicurean Recycled Cardboard Cutting Surfaces:

100% post consumer paper cutting board from Recycline:

You should actually choose at least two cutting boards – one for meats and one for other items.

How to green clean your cutting board:

Most studies note that super hot water and soap will do the job just fine. No need for chemical cleaners. For boards you used for meat, I’d run it through your dishwasher too if you have one. If you’re not on board with plain hot water and soap, try a homemade disinfectant. Mix a tablespoon of baking soda, 4 – 5 drops of tea tree or oregano pure essential oil, and 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar. Mix everything but the baking soda. Sprinkle your board with baking soda and then scrub down with the remaining ingredients.

I hate the smell of vinegar so I just use water and eco soap, but it’s up to you.

Make Your House A Reusable House

October 8, 2008 in Green Cleaning, Green Your Home, Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle by Jennifer | No comments

You can apply green building features to your house. You can invest in eco-friendly furniture. You can even landscape with the environment in mind. However, one of the best ways to go green at home, is to make your house as reusable as possible.

First of all make sure that you’re only bringing goods into your house that you really need. Purchased goods take energy to manufacture, and most come with too much packaging. When you do purchase goods, make sure that they’re both recyclable, and if possible reusable. Look for items that can perform more than one duty. For example, no one needs a food processor, a blender, and a food grinder. One of the above will do the work of all three.

Items that can make your home reusable:
Read the rest of this entry »

Re-purpose the Furniture You Own

September 30, 2008 in Decor, Furniture & Appliances by Jennifer | No comments

Today we’re talking about sustainable furniture. One great way to own sustainable decor, with very little cost, is to re-purpose the furniture you already own. A close second choice is to remake furniture you find at a thrift store, garage sale, or antique store.

Some ideas for the furniture you already have:

1. Add new hardware: A new shelf knob or handle can remake an entire piece. Try something natural, like the Viola Knob from the Carol Beach Pressed Flower Knobs Collection or the recycled glass Drawer Pulls from the Aurora Accents Drawer Pulls Collection (available in six colors; Amethyst, Apricot, AquaBlue, ClassicClear, Cobalt, and Emerald). Both are available at Nature’s Hardware.

2. Refinish with healthy paints and non-toxic varnish: Don’t forget to sand your piece down first.

3. Use stencils: You can go one step beyond painting and stencil cool designs on a shelf or wall mirror. In fact, if you’re really creative, I’d go freehand.

4. Use covers: You can re-top a table with recycled glass tiles or cover that old couch with some new organic fabric.

To learn more read Reasonable Redecorating: Reuse, Refinish, and Repurpose.

Still to come: Places you can score sustainable furniture.

Sustainable Furniture Guidelines

September 30, 2008 in Decor, Furniture & Appliances by Jennifer | 2 comments

Incorporating green options into your home includes many aspects – building, energy systems, landscaping, interior decor, and even furniture. If you’re going to build or remodel green, why fill your home with toxic furniture?

Home decor is just as important as what’s on the outside of your house. Following are some tips that can make choosing sustainable furniture a little easier:

Look for the right wood: Make sure to buy furniture made from fast growing woods like bamboo or mango, or look for wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). FSC is a worldwide healthy wood standard.

Re-make what you already have: Maybe you don’t need new furniture. You could refinish your current furniture and make it bright and new. Fresh non-toxic finish or paint, plus some cool new hardware (like shelf knobs made from natural items) can cast a new light on old pieces.

Recycled and reclaimed pieces: Another option is to choose thrift store, antique shop, or garage sale furniture. You can re-purpose a piece, although sometimes it’s perfect as is. You can also look for shops that specialize in reclaimed and recycled woods or full pieces.

Go organic: When it comes to recovering an old couch, or even buying new chairs, look for fabrics that are organic or even vintage (re-used).

Look for healthy finishes: You can have healthy, sustainable wood furniture, but if it’s slathered in toxic sealing chemicals, it sort of cancels out the good. Make sure your furniture is finished in eco-friendly paints and varnishes.

Forget leather: The upside of leather is that it lasts and lasts. Long lasting is a smart eco-trait. However, the downside of leather is of course you have to skin an animal to get it. Also, leather production is costly and an energy drain – you have to have pastures for cows, factories for production, and forests are cleared for grazing. Leather is not a good eco choice.

Buy local when possible: It’s not always easy to buy everything local, but if you can, it’s better for the earth. Shipping is a large energy drain and doesn’t foster community.

Later we’ll look at some sustainable furniture options – and some ideas for re-purposing what you already own.

[Reclaimed Wood Table with Stainless Channel Tray shown above available at Acacia]