Green Review: Seventh Generation Fabric Softener

If I am being completely honest, I must admit that going green is pricey when you have a very tight budget. So, finding green products can be a challenge for me. Seventh Generation products are not only green, eco friendly and quality products, they are AFFORDABLE!

One of my favorite Seventh Generation laundry products is what I will be reviewing today;

Product: Seventh Generation Fabric Softener
Scent: Blue Eucalyptus & Lavender
Where to Buy: Target or Publix

Review: I love this stuff. It smells awesome and it goes a long way. I do one part softener and one part water mixture and the clothes come out soft and smell fantastic. It costs under $5 for a 40 ounce bottle. Pretty fair when compared to other non green brands. By doing a half water half softener blend, I make it stretch longer…AND…it is better for my washing machine. I got that tip from a washing machine repair man.

Cons: None really. Other than, I wish I could find it at WalMart for even cheaper. LOL!

Final Thoughts: I think it is a great product and have found many more Seventh Generation Products that I love since. I will post some thoughts on them soon. Happy Washing!

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Donating for the Environment

It’s easy to collect a lot of stuff over the years – books, CD’s DVD’s, software, video games – but once you are done using them the question remains as to what you will do with them now? Just throwing away such items is not only wasteful and damaging to our environment (filling up landfills with yet more senseless waste) it is also often times emotionally altering. We become emotionally attached to such things and we don’t want to see our precious possessions just discarded as if they meant nothing. For me the hardest to part with is books – I love books and I know I have so many that I don’t read or even need anymore, but the thought of just throwing them out makes me cringe. Lucky for me, and for everyone else who feels as I do, there are a couple of great options.

Option 1: The Local Library
Most libraries will take used books, CD’s, and DVD’s as donations to be either added to their collections or sold later in book sales to raise funds for library activities and improvements. Donating these items is as easy as just putting them in a bag and delivering them to the circulation desk. You de-clutter your space and help a vital local resource at the same time.

Option 2: EcoEncore.org
I recently discovered a site that allows people to donate books, computer software, video games, CD’s, and DVD’ to go up for auction and the profits from the auction are then used to help along various environmental charities – this site is EcoEncore.org. It is incredibly easy to donate – simply fill out a form and send off the items – and you help a great cause in the process.

Checking out your local paper, chamber of commerce, churches, or environmental groups is also a good way to find other places that will take your used items and recycle, repurpose, or resell them to avoid creating further waste. With a little research and a little thought it is easy to part with items and feel good about it in the process.

Copyright ©  2009, Becki, Green Christian Network, All Rights Reserved

               

The Green On Produce

I have said many times that going green is possible for anyone who is willing to be creative. However, when you are on a very tight budget, it can be extremely hard to go green in the food department. And, produce is what we will discuss today. Yes, it can be pricey. However, again, if we can be creative and know all our options, we can do this green thing!

Going Green with Produce Tips

• Buy Organic. Yes, pricey. However, only buy in season and only buy local. You will find that it is not as expensive that way. Better yet, grow your own if feasible!
• Wash and Peel. If organic is just not in the cards for you, make sure you wash and peel produce very well.
• Widen the Gap. Eating a wide variety of produce will minimize eating the same bad chemicals over and over.
• Children. Only feed them organic. They matter more than a latte from Starbucks. Invest in their health and development.
• The Most. Whatever produce you notice is consumed the most in your family, consider buying that only in the organic versions.
• Avoid the Worst of the Bunch. If  you cannot go organic, then avoid the following produce items. They have the highest levels of contamination; apples, peaches, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes, pears, spinach, potatoes, carrots, green beans, hot peppers and cucumbers. Yeah, I know. Some favorites for you too, eh? Well, make some budget changes and buy the above in organic. It really is the only option. They are way too contaminated for any sane individual to not take notice!
• Go for the Least Contaminated. The following produce still have unhealthy pesticides and chemicals like the previous list. However, they are the least toxic. A few are; onions, avocado, frozen sweet corn, pineapples, mango, frozen sweet peas, asparagus, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, broccoli and eggplant.

We need to pay better attention to what we are eating. We especially need to protect our children. Mostly, we need to make changes that will affect the produce industry as a whole. If consumers rise up and say NO MORE, these companies will be forced to make better choices. They will be forced to stop poisoning our food, and contributing to cancer and many other unnecessary diseases!

Think. Pray. Most of all…DO something!

Copyright © Green Christian Network

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Natural Remedies for Dry Skin

With winter just around the corner and the air turning dryer by the day it is only natural for your skin to start to feel neglected. Dry, cracking hands and feet are a common problem for many people this time of year. It can be easy to rush to the nearest drugstore and grab some quick fix in a plastic bottle, but when you read the label you may be shocked to find you can’t pronounce half the words on it because it is so full of chemicals. Why not look for something a little less complex and a little more natural? You can find just what you need right in your kitchen:

• Try massaging regular mayonnaise into the dry area. Let it sit for fifteen minutes and then wash it off with warm water.
• Gently rub grape seed oil into the dry areas and let your skin just soak it all in.
• If your face is bothering you try mashing up a banana and applying it like a facial mask. Leave it on for a good five minutes and then rinse off gently with warm water.
• Avocado is a great natural moisturizer. Mash it up and apply to effected area. Let it sit for twenty minutes and then rinse.
• Take some oatmeal and use it as soap. It sounds strange, but just place it in your wash cloth, get it thoroughly wet and proceed to cleanse as normal. (Colloidal oatmeal is best)
• Get an Aloe Vera plant and use the natural gel from that to sooth your dry skin.
• Before taking a bath try rubbing the dry area with honey. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and then rinse off in the tub.

Some of these ideas may sound outrageous to you, but they are definitely worth a try. Happy skin will make for a much more happy you.

Copyright ©  2009, Becki, Green Christian Network, All Rights Reserved

               

Avoiding Hidden Chemical Poisons in Our Food and Going for Natural Choices

It’s very scary how much our food has changed in recent years.  Just look at the labels and you need a degree just to pronounce half the ingredients!

Money has become more important that nutrition and keeping foods healthy and harmful chemical free. We must eat. So, food is naturally “big business.” In order to make the most profit, farmers began spraying crops with gallons of pesticides and fungicides.  These chemicals make their way into the food we eat every day.  That’s only a part of it. Don’t even get me started on the food colorings, artificial sweeteners, hormones and antibiotics are all added to our processed foods.

Here’s a jaw dropper…Did you know that potassium bromate is illegal in every country except Japan and the United States?? The reason the rest of the world has banned it is because it is a carcinogen. Do we bother to get on the intelligent wagon? Uh, no! We add it to bread. It gives bread that chewy texture because it makes the bread rise higher.  Hmmm…Knowing this, I would rather eat paper!

The harmful chemicals, additives, preservatives and pesticides that we, as a society allow into our foods can cause serious health issues and even life threatening diseases like cancer.

What can we do to stay ahead of the chemicals in food game??

Learn to read labels. Take the time to understand what additives and preservatives are in the food you and your family eat.

Food Additives and Preservatives

Food additives are quite simply, things that are added to our food.  For example, if you make grape jelly, you will add pectin and sugar. Both would then be considered “food additives.”

Unfortunately, unless you are buying an all natural product, if you buy jelly in the grocery store, the label is likely going to list more than just grapes, pectin and sugar.  There will probably be a slew of big words and ingredients that are not necessarily good for your body. Longer shelf life means fatter wallets.

Some of the many jobs of food additives are:

• Acids modify the flavor and preserve food. Some examples; vinegar, citric acid, and lactic acid.
• Acidity regulators modify the acidity and alkalinity of foods.
• Anti-caking agents keep powders from caking or sticking.
• Anti-foaming agents reduce or eliminate foaming in foods.
• Food colorings and color retention agents enhance or maintain food’s color.
• Emulsifiers allow water and oils to remain combined.
• Flavors and flavor enhancers enhance or add flavor.
• Humectants keep foods from drying out.
• Tracer gas improves shelf life.
• Preservatives prevent food from spoiling. Lengthen shelf life.
• Sweeteners are added to foods for flavoring.

Obviously not ALL additives are harmful. Natural additives are OK. However, you must know the difference.

Dangerous Additives:

• BHT. Causes liver and kidney damage, behavioral problems, infertility, birth defects and cancer.
• Artificial coloring. Causes hyperactivity in children, learning disorders, nerve damage and it may be carcinogenic.
• Artificial sweeteners. Cause central nervous system damage, menstrual difficulties, may affect brain and growth development in an unborn fetus, and may even cause cancer.
• Brominated vegetable. Cause organ damage, birth defects, and growth problems.
• Carrageenan. Causes ulcers and cancer
• Partially Hydrogenated vegetable oils. Associated with heart disease, cancer, high cholesterol, and allergies.
• Nitrates. Cause cancer and even death.
• MSG. Causes headaches, reproductive disorders, high blood pressure and allergic reactions.
• Potassium bromate. Causes nervous system, kidney disorders, gastrointestinal issues and cancer.
• Red dye #3. Causes thyroid tumors in rats, and may cause them in humans as well.
• Yellow dye #6. Is a carcinogen and has been found to cause adrenal gland and kidney tumors.

Pesticides In Your Food

As I mentioned earlier, profit is what really matters to the big food manufacturers. We learned how they add harmful additives to our foods. Well, they also harm our food while it is still growing. Pesticides are used to maximize their crops put our health at risk.

The health effects of pesticides depend on the type of pesticide. Some, like organophosphates and carbamates, affect the nervous system. Others can irritate your lungs, skin, or eyes. Other pesticides are carcinogens and cause cancer or affect your body’s hormones.

A chemical like acephate can over stimulate your nervous system causing nausea, dizziness, confusion, and respiratory paralysis or death. Alachlor was classified by the EPA “likely” to be a human carcinogen at high doses, but “not likely” at low doses. Oh, and another one is ethanol, which is generally recognized as a human developmental neurotoxin. YIKES!

Pesticides not only affect the individual who eat them and come in contact with them, they also affect the unborn, resulting in birth defects and neurological problems.

The Top Most Dangerous Produce…aka “The Dirty Dozen”

These are the most likely to have the highest levels of pesticides and harmful chemicals in them.

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Bell Peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Pears
9. Grapes
10. Spinach
11. Lettuce
12. Potatoes

You should also know that many of these produce items contain pesticides not approved for use on that particular crop.  For example, a pesticide, which is approved for spinach, may not be approved for use on peaches but was nonetheless found on peaches.  Additionally, carrots, green beans, cucumbers, raspberries, domestic grapes, and oranges all rated very highly in the studies for containing pesticides.

I can almost hear the psycho movie theme music in the background even as I write this!  It all sounds just terrible! No worries though! We CAN win this chemical food battle. How? By learning to read food nutrition labels, and by buying more natural and foods. Making a decision to stop buying foods with harmful chemicals. It we, as consumers, make a stand, the food industry WILL take notice and will be forced to make changes!

Simple Choices to Reduce Exposure to Harmful Chemicals while Saving Money on Food Bill.

Read the label. You should be able to recognize every item on the nutrition label.  If you start seeing preservatives, artificial sweeteners and food colorings then place it back on the shelf.

Avoid all processed foods. Anything that comes in a box and has undergone physical or chemical treatment resulting in a substantial change in the original state of the food.  However, there are organic choices that are better for your family…even if the do come in a box.

Avoid the dirty dozen. Buy organic fruits and veggies when you can.  If you cannot buy organic fruits and veggies because they’re unavailable or too expensive, wash them thoroughly and peel your fruits and veggies.

Organic meats and dairy. Farm animals are not only fed antibiotics and hormones to maximize production, they also eat crops contaminated with pesticides.  Buy organic dairy and meats.

4 Tips Saving Money on Organic Food

Buy what is in season. Buying strawberries in December is definitely going to cost you more than buying them in July.  If you find that you need strawberries in December, consider comparing the cost of organic frozen compared to organic fresh, you’ll often find the frozen option is less expensive.

Buy according to your store’s sales. Every week, grocery stores put their produce on sale. If organic carrots are on sale, then add it to your menu for the week.  You’ll save 20% or more on your food bill following this simple plan.

Buy local. Local organic farmers charge much less for their produce because they don’t have to pay for distribution.  Plus, you’re helping to sustain your local economy.

Eat one more vegetarian meal each week. Meat and dairy are the most expensive items on your grocery list.  By cutting back and eating one less meal with meat, you’ll save money. Also, pay attention to your grocery stores sales. Stock up on organic meats when they go on sale.

God Created a beautiful planet with all the food and things we need to live healthy lives. Let’s not allow manufacturers who want to fatten their wallets take that away from us. The best way to stay healthy, make a difference and avoid all the harmful yuck they put is food is to eat more natural, organic and unprocessed foods whenever possible.

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Beer is Green and Clean!

I use beer in a couple recipes I make. Many people also drink beer. What do you do with flat beer or the leftover beer from a recipe? Well, you can use it to be green and clean!

Green and Clean Beer Tips

Coffee and tea stain remover. Pour the beer on the stain and let it sit for a minute.  Blot the stain and examine. Repeat as needed. Wash.

Polish your jewelry with flat beer. Pour beer into a small glass bowl and place your gem free jewelry into the bowl.  Let sit for a couple of minutes, remove and dry thoroughly.

Furniture cleaner. Use your beer to clean your wooden tables and other wooden furniture.  Dab beer on a clean, soft clot and apply.  Dry with another clean, soft cloth.

Clean your garden of slugs and snails. It’s a long-standing gardening practice to use beer to attract snails and slugs to remove them from your garden.  Pour beer into a shallow dish and place in your garden overnight.  In the morning, you’ll find it full of slugs and snails that have drowned.

Copper cleaner. Beer is great for polishing copper.  Try placing a little on a clean cloth and applying to the bottom of your copper pans to remove tarnish and add shine.

And…maybe not to clean, but beer is also good for plants…

Plant food. When watering your plants or garden, mix a few tablespoons of beer into the water and add to your plants.

As you can see, beer has several great green cleaning uses.

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More on Back to School Green

Across the country kids are flocking back to school and many of us are wondering how to start the year off while encouraging a greener way in our youth. It can sometimes be hard to get kids to think about “being green” when all they really want to do is look cool and hang out with their friends, but by our example they will learn and a great example can be set just in back to school preparation.

It starts with school supplies. While many of those flashy and bright notebooks can be eye catching, why not help our environment a little and purchase recycled paper instead? Many manufacturers are now offering this option. Also, rather than spiral notebooks go for the refillable binder. While some places will allow for recycling paper on a spiral bind, many still do not and this means a lot of paper waste simply because people don’t want to spend the time tearing paper off. When purchasing the refillable binder try to find one made of canvas or cardboard. Plastic may feel durable, but it is also, well, plastic. And if you still have a binder from last year that is in good shape why not just reuse it?

Backpacks are big business during the back to school shopping, but with a quick wash most old backpacks are just like new – use a gentle cycle and air dry.

If your school requires books to be covered you can stay green by recycling paper bags rather than buying fancy book covers. Give your kids some crayons or markers and stickers and they can decorate the books to their liking.

Pens and pencils are imperative for school and you can make sure to buy refillable pens and refillable pencils (if you use mechanical pencils). Also, if buying regular pencils there are some brands that actually do use recycled materials.

Clothes for back to school can hit the budget hard, but what’s worse is that so much of last year’s fashion goes to waste. This year before you throw out the old stuff check to be sure it doesn’t still fit or that it can’t be made into something else great for the year. If it is a “must go” then give it to a local charity rather than just throwing it in the garbage.

Back to school supplies aren’t the only area where were can help our kids stay green - there is also the issue of back to school transportation. If you live within walking or biking distance go ahead and have your kids walk or bike. You can walk or bike with them to show that it isn’t so bad. I live right across an open field from the schools in my town and it amazes me how many parents will hop in a car, drive for three minutes (literally), drop their kids off and then drive home. Walking is not only exercise, but it saves on fuel consumption and it teaches kids that they can move without the world coming to an end. If it’s raining out give your kid an umbrella – it won’t hurt them and you will be teaching them a natural mode of transportation in the process. If you live too far for walking or biking then get involved in a local carpool – you can take turns driving your kids to and from school.

And finally, when that first day (or maybe I should say the entire first week) arrives and the mounds of paper work start coming in make sure to sign what you have to sign and return it, but for the rest don’t just throw it in the trash – have your kids walk it to the recycle bin thus instilling in them once again that recycling is good for us all. Remember, back to school is a great time to lead by example and teach your kids the importance of a greener way of life. Have a great school year!

Copyright ©  2009, Becki, Green Christian Network, All Rights Reserved

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Send Your Kids Back to School Green!

Our youth are the future. If we train them to do the right thing while they are young they will continue in it. We are told in Proverbs 22:6; “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” This is true for every aspect of our jobs as parents…from how to behave, who God is and even being better stewards of God’s planet!

If we send them back to school green minded and looking green, their friends will notice. We should be raising leaders that want to impact our planet for God’s glory! What better way to bring God glory then by honoring Him and being good stewards with what He loaned to us??

Tips to go Back to School Green

Go with as many recycled materials as you can!

• paper would be the biggest. Unfortunately, schools have not come up with a better way to have our children do their school work. So, if they must use paper, make sure it is recycled paper!
• forget the wood pencils that kill trees! Go for reusable plastic pencils…or better yet keep using the wood ones, but, try PaperMate’s “Earth Write” line. Yes they are wood, but, they are recycled!
• eco Binders are a must as well.
• backpacks can be green too. go for a recycled material instead of the norm.

Pack Green Lunches.

• go for organic choices.
• no plastic baggies. period.
• use reusable containers.’
• give them recycled napkins.

Clothes.

Looking cool is important for most kids, especially as they get older. What is cooler than recycled clothing??

• go for organic cotton.
• let them wear green proud. get them shirts that TELL the WORLD to be green.

Getting to School.

This can be tough depending on how far you live from the school. However, even getting to school each day can be green!

• have them walk.
• ride a bike.
• car pool.

As you can see, being a better steward of God’s planet is not as difficult as one might think. The simple task of sending our kids back to school can be a way to be greener and become better parents by training our children to appreciate what God has given them…including the planet!

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Green Tip – (06/25/09) – Green Bedding

We spend about 1/4 of our lives in bed. It would be a good thing to make sure we are greening up the bedroom!

Believe it or not, most mattresses and linens are still made with synthetics and chemicals that are bad for the environment. For most people, buying an organic mattress and bedding may be out of reach financially. Do not let that get you down! There are other ways we can at least make a greener choice in the bedroom!

Greener Bedding Choices

Buy cotton or wool linens. Avoid permanent press and triclosan.

Buy organic fabrics when possible.

Go for low impact dyes or none at all.

Save your money and invest in an organic mattress. Or at least one that is made to last a lifetime!

We can make a difference for God’s planet…ONE green choice at a time!

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Personal Care Products in the Green

Personal Care products are a part of our everyday lives. Most people use them…Skin care, cosmetics, sunscreen, deodorants, etc.

We can make changes and efforts to green them up!

Tips for Green Personal Care Products

• Use less. Many personal care products have cancer causing chemicals in them…not good for you or the environment. Limit use to what is absolutely necessary and opt for eco friendly when possible.
• Eliminate synthetics. Period.
• Buy in bulk. Saves you money, time, packaging and fuel.
• Stay away from harmful chemicals and ingredients. Placenta extracts, mercury, lead acetate, and phthalates to name a few. Seriously, if you cannot pronounce it…maybe you should not buy it??
• Avoid Petroleum by-products. They will be listed as petrolatum and petroleum distillates.
• Only buy personal care products from companies that have made the “Compact for Safe Cosmetics” pledge. (www.safecosmetics.org) Tip: Burt’s Bees offers many products that are safe, cheap and eco friendly.
• Contact the companies you buy from the most and ask them to make the above pledge.
• Do it Yourself. Making it yourself will really help you and the environment. If you have the time, energy and ability, make your own personal care products!

Research, be informed and make wise choices before you purchase personal care products. It is so much more than helping the planet. It is saving yourself and your family from the harmful chemicals and side affects caused by many of these products.

If we all stand firm in this, companies will be forced to make better choices in how they make personal care products and we will be making an impact for our children and be better stewards of God’s planet.

Be safe. Be smart. Be Green.

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