1. Eat organic food

You may already be doing this. But if not, this is a relatively easy eco-conscious resolution. Your can buy organic food, which will in turn make you healthier. You could combine this with commitments to eat out less often, or to buy locally grown, seasonal food whenever possible.
 
2. Creative recycling

You probably already recycle your plastic, glass, metal, and paper items by taking them to the recycling center or having them picked up. There is another way to re-use “disposable” items – make things out of them. You could commit yourself to a twice-monthly creative project that involves making something out of recyclable materials. There are entire magazines dedicated to this, so it should not be difficult to find ideas.   

3. Commit to less waste

Get the kids on board with this one. You might commit to using stainless steel, using refillable water bottles instead of disposable plastic ones, or packing your child’s lunch in a reusable bag.

4. Resolve to lower your carbon emissions

This could take the form of walking to more destinations, carpooling with friends, taking public transportation, or simply staying home a bit more. This can be integrated into a resolution to spend more time with your family – instead of going out, you could have a family game night. You’ll save fuel and spend more time with your family.

5. Eco-friendly cleaning for a less toxic New Year

Properly dispose of the chemical cleaners you use to clean your house and opt for home-made, simple cleaning recipes. Baking soda and vinegar can be used in various to clean just about anything. This will change the way your family does things, but isn’t that the point?

It can be difficult to stick with your New Year’s resolutions. But with the whole family participating, it can be an enjoyable experience that actually changes your lifestyle for the better.

Keep Going Green!
Lynne

Low-flow faucets use “restrictors” to lessen the flow of water, and they also aerate the water. Basically, they work by replacing water with air. Low-flow faucets distribute the water efficiently and evenly over your hands or body so that it feels like more water is being used. In other words, low-flow faucets distribute less water over a greater area. 

Some sources say you can save $100 a year using low-flow faucets, and that you can cut your water usage by half at the site of installation. This is because you save:

1. Electricity or gas
Your hot water heater will not have to work so hard to heat water if you are using less. Therefore, you save energy.

2. Sewer fees
If you are part of a municipal water system, your sewer fees go up when your water usage does.

3. Water bill
Obviously, the less water you use, the less you pay per month.

You can replace your sink and shower faucets with low-flow ones for very little – such faucets start at only $15-$20. And this is a great DIY project for the average homeowner, so you won’t have to pay for professional installation. There are also online tutorials to help.

Here are some things to keep in mind if you want to replace your existing faucets with low-flow ones.

* Check the gallons per minute (gpm) on your existing faucets
The average water flow for a shower is between 2.5-5 gpm. Low-flow faucets can use a little as .5 gpm, although the average is between 1 and 1.5 gpm. Remember, low-flow faucets mix air in with the water so you will not notice a difference in water pressure. (Low-flow does not equal “trickle.”)

* Check your existing sink faucet aerators
You may not have to replace your entire sink faucet – just replacing the existing aerator with a low-flow one may do the trick. At about $3, this is a very affordable way to decrease your water usage.

Saving water is also a consideration for those who are concerned about the environment. Less water usage means less energy usage as noted above, and water is the most precious resource on our planet. Saving as much as possible makes sense, both for your budget and the earth.

Keep Going Green!
Lynne

Depending on your line of work and the layout of your home, you may be exposing yourself and your family to all sorts of toxic elements inherent in adhesives. Also, many adhesive products such as package tape are made from non-biodegradable plastic. Let’s take a look at some of the eco-friendly types of sealing products, and why they are better for your health and the environment than chemical adhesives.

- Package tape
Using brown paper tape rather than plastic package tape is better for the environment. It can be recycled or made from recycled paper, and it is as strong as its plastic counterpart.

- Carpet glue
There are significant health concerns surrounding the “off gassing” of carpet glue. Individuals with chemical sensitivities and allergies may find that they suffer attacks even when the carpet is “clean” because of the odorless fumes. In fact, carpet glue is implicated in “sick building syndrome,” an odd mix of symptoms that some people experience in office buildings or even in their own homes due to chemicals used in the construction of the building. There are eco-friendly alternatives to carpet glue, thankfully. Some homeowners simply tack their carpeting down without using adhesives at all.

- Glue
Wood glues, epoxies, and other adhesives can contain a significant amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are implicated in health problems that range from kidney and liver damage to cancer. However, there are water-based glues now on the market that contain very low amounts of VOCs, and some adhesives that contain no VOCs at all.

We all want our homes to be safe. Usually, that entails making sure the windows and doors are closed and locked, or that our alarm systems are set. But there are other ways to ensure our family’s safety, too, and that is by making informed decisions about eco-friendly products and conventional ones.

Keep Going Green!
Lynne

One of the first things that you will want to look at is your vehicle.  Do you need a new car? If so, you might want to examine hybrids, electric or other fuel efficient vehicles. These cars are affordable and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save you money in the long run. Make sure that your vehicle’s tires are properly inflated and check the tire pressure monthly. This will ensure that you get the best gas mileage from your vehicle. It will also reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that your vehicle emits.

You will also need to look at the way you use your vehicle. Do you need to use your car as much as you do? If you use your car to go to work or run errands, can you use public transportation, carpool, walk or bicycle.

One way to stop global warming in your home is to use as little electricity as possible. Make sure that all lights and appliances are turned off when not in use. If you need new appliances make sure that you buy those with Energy Star labels. Energy Star appliances use less electricity which can save you money. Set your water heater to 120 degrees or lower. You can also save money and electricity by putting a hot water heater blanket over the hot water heater. You can also replace your light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs.

The above mentioned ways are all easy ways that you can help stop global warming and its affect on the environment. Everyone should do their part to help limit the amount of carbon dioxide that enters the earth’s atmosphere. Every step that you take to help in the fight against global warming, no matter how large or small, will help.

Keep Going Green!
Lynne

Global warming, is defines as the rise in the earth’s temperature, due to the increase in the emission of greenhouse gases. The vehicles on the road do contribute to global warming, but they are not the only cause. If just one car is taken off the road, it can reduce carbon emissions by as much as seven to eight hundred pounds!

There is irrefutable proof that cars have a negative impact on the environment, but we still keep on driving, as if there were nothing wrong.  Why is this so?  Many people feel that they have to completely give up their vehicles or buy a new, gas efficient one.  Of course, these methods are the best ways to go about reducing the amount of carbon dioxide that enters into the earth’s atmosphere, but it is important to remember that these options are not your only. 

You do not have to completely give up your vehicle to help in the fight against global warming.  You just need to limit its use.  You can limit your vehicles use by carpooling or using public transportation.  If you work close to where you live, you can walk or bike to work.

If you have to use your vehicle, make sure that it is properly maintained.  If the air filter is dirty, it will need to be replaced. You also need to make sure that your tires are properly inflated. If you do these two simple things, you can save money and help stop global warming. If you keep your tires properly inflated, you will get better gas mileage, as well as lessen the amount of pollutants that come from your vehicle.

Everyone should do their part to help limit the amount of carbon dioxide that enters the earth’s atmosphere from your vehicle.  Every step that you take to help in the fight against global warming, no matter how large or small, will help.

Keep Going Green!
Lynne

Green investing means your money is earning you an investment return while you’re helping to back the companies who are doing the right thing by the environment and by the community. With green investing you could be making money while you’re helping the environment. An example of green investing could be to invest your money into companies researching and developing alternative energy sources or by investing into companies that make a positive impact on the environment.

Socially responsible investing began by appealing to investors who preferred not to have their money funding companies involved with things like tobacco, gambling or alcohol.

In more recent times green investing now screens out companies who are abusive or irresponsible toward the environment or their communities, companies who might practice poor labor relations or lack corporate integrity. This also means their green investments advocate companies that are making a positive impact on the environment or the community.

So how do you get started in Green Investing?

The simplest way to put your money to work in green investing is to invest it into an SRI mutual fund. A Socially Responsible Investment mutual fund does all the management of choosing green companies with decent returns for you.

A side effect of green investing is that over time as more people pour money into socially responsible companies, this action is sending a message to those companies who are guilty of extreme environmental pollution or poor labor practices that the community has become less tolerant of their corporate practices.

Are Green Companies a Good Investment?

Many governments around the world have begun legislating greener practices relating to a lot of industries in response to public feedback and concerns for environmental damage. As more companies scramble to find ways to comply with legislations and also find ways to meet public approval, green research and environmentally friendly products are on the rise.

This means many green companies are increasing their market share over time, but it may not necessarily make it a good green investment. As with any other investment, it’s wise to check the individual company for how they generate revenue and whether the company is performing well in terms of available cash flow and overall profitability.

For example, a new green start-up company specializing in green energy research might be funded by government loans, grants and investor money, but may not be producing any revenue of its own, so trying to calculate investment returns on a green investment like this would be difficult at best.

Overall, green investing is a great way to have your investment money aligned to your personal preferences but it’s still important to consider the total investment package and how your money would be put to work before jumping in.

Keep Going Green!
Lynne

Pick appropriate plants. Not all plants are appropriate for the area you live in. While you might be able to control the temperature, humidity, and rain conditions inside your house, you can’t do it out in the garden. If you pick appropriate plants for your area, you may be able to avoid using fertilizers and saving on water too. Research, what plants are native to your surrounding areas and try planting them in your own garden. Wildflowers, are just that, they can pretty much be left alone and will thrive in most areas.

Pick natural repelling plants. You don’t need to rely on poisons to keep away garden ruining pests. Many plants produce chemicals that repel these animals naturally. By putting them in or around you garden, you can keep your garden safe with little effort and no chemicals. Plus, you can pick parts of these plants and use them to make products to keep them away from you too.

If you don’t want to plant natural repellents in your garden, you can use them to spray your plants without harming them or adding artificial chemicals to your garden. Many herbs like hot pepper, vanilla, and lavender can help repel insects from your garden.

Pull weeds. We’re all looking for a quick and easy way to safely get rid of weeds without chemicals, but the good old fashioned way is still very effective.  It you take time every day to pull the weeds you can find, you’ll only take a few minutes so it doesn’t seem like a lot of work.  You can even get the kids involved, just be sure to do it properly so you don’t spread the seeds around.  There are even some common weeds that are edible, just make sure there are no pesticides that could have gotten on them.

Crop rotation. Farmers all over the world use crop rotation to naturally fertilize plants. The concept is to change what crop you’re putting in a certain field each year. Plants use different nutrients and put other nutrients back into the soil. If you rotate crops that replace the nutrients the other plants use, you will have to fertilize the soil less. 

You can use this same concept in your garden by planting different plants every year, or just rotating where you put specific plants in the garden. 

Keep Going Green!
Lynne

Most stores now have a line of “natural” beauty products. Unfortunately, they often come with a big price tag attached too. Often times many of these products are not actually “natural” so it does pay to do your homework to ensure you are getting what you pay for.

Fortunately actually making beauty products yourself isn’t too difficult. So if you want beauty products that you know are natural and are also inexpensive, just make them yourself. Here are 5 quick and easy recipes you can make at yourself.

Face Mask

Eating good food helps give you the right nutrients you need to look good.  You can get more of these vitamins and minerals by putting the good stuff right on the skin. 

Combining a mashed carrot, mashed avocado, and a beaten egg with a half cup a few tablespoons of honey creates a great face mask that provides vitamins, and improves the tone and texture of your skin. Just stir well, apply, let sit for about 15 minutes, and then wash off with cool water. 

After you’re washed and nourished your skin, you can use grated cucumber or diluted lemon juice as a toner to help tighten your skin and close up your pores to close your pores and keep your skin looking great.

Hair Conditioner

Many people pay a lot of money for a conditioner that actually makes your hair look and feel good. Here’s a great natural recipe to save you money and help your hair. 

Just mix an egg yolk with a tablespoon of castor oil and apply to hair. Let sit for about ten minutes and rinse out. You can use this every so often as a conditioning treatment for healthy shiny hair. If you like being experimental, you can try mixing other kitchen items, herbs, and natural items with eggs for healthy, shiny hair.

Hand and Foot Cream

A quick face mask will help make you look great in not a lot of time, but hands and feet require extra care. Use ½ cup of olive oil mixed with natural sea salt and massage into your hands and feet. Leave a few minutes to soak and then rinse off with warm water.

When it comes to natural beauty products, these recipes are just the start.  You can find hundreds of different combinations in natural beauty books, magazines, and on the internet. Or you can go to your kitchen cabinet and make your own special creations.

Keep Going Green, and Natural
Lynne

1. Raw fruit

This is an easy one. Simply peel soft, ripe fruits like peaches, pears, bananas, plums, and melon and mash them with a fork or run them through a blender. Babies love the taste of pure fruit without added sugar. Freeze leftovers in ice cube trays, then pop one or two cubes out, thaw, and serve. This method of preservation works for nearly all home-made baby foods.

2. Whole grain brown rice cereal

In a grain grinder or blender, grind 1/4 cup organic brown rice until it is a flour-like consistency. To prepare, bring 1 cup of pure water to a boil and whisk in the brown rice “flour.” Simmer gently for about 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. Why not cool and flavor the hot cereal with a couple of frozen fruit puree cubes described above? You can also stir in a little breastmilk for flavor, nutrition, and consistency. You can substitute ground, rolled oats for the brown rice for variation.

3. Yogurt

Full of probiotics (“good” bacteria), yogurt is a wonderful baby food. You can make your own in a crockpot, flavor it however you like, and save a lot of money! You will need:

- 2 quarts of organic, non-ultra pasteurized milk
- 1/2 cup plain, organic yogurt already prepared (you can use some from a previous batch of your own, or a commercial brand)
- thick bath towels

Set your crockpot on low. Pour in the milk, cover, and leave it for 2 1/2 hours. Turn off/unplug the crockpot. Leave the milk mixture in it for 3 hours. Then, stir in the 1/2 cup of prepared yogurt and cover. Wrap the crockpot in thick bath towels – be sure to cover the top and sides. Leave 8-9 hours (overnight). In the morning, the milk will have thickened and you have yogurt! Mix with the organic, mashed/pureed fruit of your choice.

4. Applesauce

This is one product that often contains a lot of added sugar and/or preservatives when purchased from a store. Here is a simple way to make applesauce for your baby. Core and coarsely chop (but do not peel) as many apples as you like (you will get about 1/4 cup of applesauce per apple). Put chopped apple into a steamer basket and steam for 10 minutes or until tender. Press the soft apples through a sieve or run them through a food mill. This gets some of the nutrients from the peels into the applesauce. 

5. Chicken and vegetable soup

This is a good way to get a lot of nutrients in one meal. You will need:

- 1 large chicken breast, bone-in
- 2-3 cups pure water
- pinch of salt
- pinch of poultry seasoning and/or bay leaf
- 3/4 cup of mixed veggies, such as peas, green beans, or carrots

Simmer all ingredients in a saucepan for 20-30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through. (You could do this in a crockpot or pressure cooker, too.) Remove the chicken from the bones; discard bones. Chop, mash and/or puree the chicken and vegetables and serve lukewarm.

Keep Going Green!

Lynne

Home-made recipes for window cleaners are not new; people had to clean their glass windows long before commercial sprays came along. But home-made window cleaner is a novel concept to many in this generation. This is one of those times that looking to the past can solve some of our current dilemmas.

Below are some inexpensive, easy-to-make recipes for effective window cleaners. You probably have some of these ingredients on hand. If not, these products are inexpensive and diluted with water so they last a long time.

1. Vinegar
No list of home-made cleaning products would be complete without some mention of vinegar. A germ killer and grease cutter, white vinegar (not apple cider, balsamic or other “fancy” vinegars) is responsible for those streak-free, clear results we all desire for our windows. You can clean windows with just vinegar and water -  1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon vinegar per 2 cups of water (going too heavy on the vinegar may cause fogging). Or, you can combine this ratio with:

2. Liquid soap
To the above vinegar-water solution, add 1/2 teaspoon castile soap or other biodegradable, natural liquid soap. Spray on, wipe with a soft cloth, and use a squeegee to scrape off the remaining cleaner. Simply using soap and water is an option, too. Mix 1 tablespoon castile soap, which is made from saponified vegetable oils and thus environmentally friendly, with 2 cups of water. Soak a sponge in this soapy water and apply liberally to windows. Use a squeegee to remove the excess and wipe dry with crumpled newspaper or a soft cloth.

3. Club soda
Perhaps you have heard of club soda’s ability to remove stains. It can also be used to wash windows. Combine 1 tablespoon white vinegar per cup of club soda and spray onto windows. Use a soft cloth or crumpled newspaper to get streak-free results.

Note that windows should be cleaned when the sun is not shining on them. If windows are warm and/or in direct sunlight, glass cleaner (home-made or commercial) will be likely to leave streaks or fogginess on the glass.

Keep Going Green!
Lynne