Green on the Go

Have you ever been out shopping and wished you had some sort of reference to which products are actually good for the environment, healthy, and in sync with your green lifestyle? I know I have! It can be frustrating to sit there reading labels and not being quite sure what all you are looking for – especially if your are new to being green. I felt there must be an answer out there somewhere so I went on a search. Most people these days have mobile phones and many are opting for the iPhone and boy are we in luck! There is a new product out called “Good Guide” and it is an app for the iPhone or a text alert app for regular phones. And what’s even better – it’s FREE!

According to its website, Good Guide provides instant access to a library of over 70,000 products. Through this access you are able to quickly and efficiently look up product ratings, create favorites lists, and get product recommendations to suit your needs. You can even create a list of products you want to avoid in the future – I like that!

Products are rated on a 1-10 scale in categories of health, environmental, social, and the overall general rating. The higher the rating, the better the product – it is that simple!

Smart phones are everywhere these days, so why not make yours just a little bit smarter than the rest? With Good Guide being free you really have nothing to lose, but the time gained in quick access to this product guide is priceless.

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

               

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

               

Eco Friendly Ant Removal

Ants seem to be a pest I cannot get rid of. We have battled with them for years. Really. I kid you not. Since my quest to be greener began, however, I have really struggled with how to rid our home of these pests in a way that is safe for my family and more eco-friendly as well. Below are some steps I have made to help me…and now hopefully you!

Eco-Friendly Ant Removal Tips

Removing Ants the Green Way.

• Be clean. Keep food sealed well and avoid having crumbs on the counters and floors. Sweep often and do not let the kids eat on the couches. Under the cushions and in the crevices of plush chairs are breeding grounds for crumb central which in turn will be an ant heaven.
• Check for leaks. Many times you can have the cleanest home and no food source available. However, if you have standing water or leaks, the ants will come for a more vital resource…water.
• Seal openings. Check windows, doors and any places where crevices exist. Seal them up with a non toxic sealer/caulk. This is a great way to keep many unwanted house guests out!
• Cut off their communication. Ants leave an invisible chemical trail to let their buddies know where to go. You can help stop this in a simple and natural way. Mix liquid soap and water together. Put in spray bottle. Spray areas where you have seen ant trails in your home.
• Green thumb. Trim trees and bushes so that they are not touching your house. Especially near windows. This will prevent easy access to your home.
• Find the nest. You can bait them with honey or sugar water and try to find out where the buggers are coming from. If you are fortunate enough to find the colony try one of these steps. Outdoor nests: pour a LOT of hot boiling water over it several times. Indoor nests: put corn starch into a bag-less or with bag vacuum cleaner. Vacuum them up and immediately remove bag and throw away. Or, if you use a bag-less vacuum, clean it out and make sure the filter is changed.
  
• Use bait. I do not recommend this unless all else fails. And, IF you MUST use a bait, use a closed bait instead of a chemical or toxic spray.

As I have mentioned many times in the past, we can be greener if we take the time to research and be creative. Being green is a lot simpler than many people may think. I hope these ant removal tips have helped you. If you have any of your own, please feel free to share below!

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Stay Green!

               

Carbon Footprint?

Ever since entering into this journey of mine to change my lifestyle and become more green there has been one burning question that I’ve wanted answered. Everywhere I turned I would hear a certain term that seemed to mean so much so I finally asked, “What exactly is a carbon footprint?” The answers I received were all so complex. I needed something in layman’s terms. I needed a simple answer to a very complex question – and I found one.

Put simply, a carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gasses given off by one person, product, business, or event. In general when speaking of greenhouse gases people are referring to the equivalent of how many tons of carbon dioxide you put out.

So one might ask why this even matters. As individuals, why should we care what our carbon footprint is? Well, you should care because it is a fairly accurate assessment of the impact that our daily life has on the environment. We should want to know what kind of impact we are having so that we can improve upon it – in such a way we help the earth that the Father has provided us.

There are quite a few websites available to help you determine what your carbon footprint is. My personal favorite for it’s ease of use and simple understandability is from Climate Crisis (An Inconvenient Truth). After inputting all of my information I have learned that my personal impact is about average, but even with being average there is always room for improvement and in the world of carbon footprints that improvement is done through something called carbon offsetting – basically a carbon offset is something you can do (usually a financial contribution or lifestyle change) to help balance out carbon emissions. For example, through helping businesses to give back to the earth by planting trees you would be offsetting your carbon footprint. Another example is getting involved in some sort of natural energy project.

If we are going to be good stewards of this earth and really walk the walk we talk about it would be very beneficial to know our carbon footprints and start making changes or contributions to offset them now – Even small changes like keeping the lights off in one unused room can make a huge difference. Start small, work your way up, and in no time your carbon footprint will look great.

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

               

7 Easy Changes You Can Make to Live a More Eco-Friendly Life

Every day there are simple things we can do to be a little greener. Below is a list of just seven such things.

1. Write your shopping list on the notes feature of your cell phone or PDA rather than using another piece of paper that you will inevitably throw away.
2. Stop using plastic bags. Buy some cloth sacks for carrying everything from groceries to your latest and greatest pair of jeans from the department store. If you must have plastic be sure to return the bags to the store – most retailers offer recycling bins on site.
3. Combine your errands. If you take some time to plan it out you can run to the store, drop off library books or a bill payment, and get gas all in one session – this will save on fuel consumption and exhaust fumes.
4. When getting food to go from your favorite restaurant ditch the Styrofoam. Most restaurants will use a substitute if you ask or will accept your container if you offer it up front.
5. Save on paper, envelopes, and stamps – bank online. These days you can pay pretty much every bill you have online. You can also transfer funds, check balances on accounts, and so much more – talk to your banker about it today!
6. Rather than using disposable wipes start using old towels or t-shirts for cleaning. You can wash them when they get grubby and use them again.
7. Look for labels when shopping that let you know what you are buying is recycled or in a recycled container. If more consumers begin demanding such things (and only buying items with these labels sends a clear signal of demand) more manufacturers will make them available.

Living greener is easier than you think – one small step can make such a great impact. What are you waiting for?

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

               

Five Easy Ways to Teach Toddlers to Live Green

As a mom it is always front and center on my mind how I can teach my children to be good stewards of this great earth. It can be tough for younger children to grasp the concept of living green but through our example we can really teach our young ones to start caring now, thus leaving a legacy of caring that is more precious than anything you can make from plastic. Below are five ways to start teaching toddlers today.

1. Take your children on a field trip to an organic farm that will allow them to pick fruits and veggies. While there discuss why organic farming is good for the earth. Also talk to them about how we should pray for farmers and thank God for them as well – after all, we get much of our food from those farmers.
2. Young children go to a lot of birthday parties. A great way to encourage green living in your toddler is to opt out of buying new wrapping paper for presents. Rather, you can recycle an old paper bag and have your children decorate it with crayons and markers. Use this time to discuss recycling and why it is important for our earth.
3. Plant some flowers or even a tree. Children, especially young children, love to help their parents out in the garden. Have your toddlers assist you in planting some beautiful flowers or even a tree or two and explain to them how this helps the environment. You can even take this time to discuss how God made the flowers and trees and that part of taking care of our earth is helping these wonderful things He created to grow.
4. Teach the importance of conserving water – when your children are brushing their teeth or washing their hands teach them to turn off the water in between brushing or scrubbing. Talk to them about how water is a resource we all need and that we need to make sure there is enough to last for everyone. Have your kids think of other ways they can conserve water around the house – you will be amazed what toddlers can come up with!
5. Get out a great nature movie or series such as Planet Earth and watch it with your little ones. While watching it discuss with them the beauty of God’s creation. Teach your children to appreciate what the Lord has provided. Discuss with them all the many different types of plants, animals, trees, etc… Have your kids draw pictures of the earth and tell you what they appreciate about it most. Pray and thank God for giving us this beautiful place to live in.

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

               

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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Stay Green!

               

Compost Anyone?

We just moved into a new house and with that comes a whole new yard. I told my Husband that I would really like to plant a garden, but he informed me that the soil quality where we live is very poor and that I would have to buy topsoil and other nutrient-rich additives if I was to have the hopes of anything actually growing. At first I was a little bummed out, but then I thought this was the perfect time to start that compost bin I have always wanted to start. If I start now, by the next planting season I should definitely have something substantial to add to the poor soil that is already here. My Husband likes this idea so a compost bin is in the works and will be placed out back soon.

I know you can add things like rotten fruits and veggies to a compost bin, but there is so much more!

Below is a lit of stuff that you can add to a compost bin…

…things I never knew before!

• Pet hair
• Lint
• Old herbs and spices
• Coffee grounds with the filter
• Tea bags and leaves
• Egg shells
• Kleenex tissues
• Old potato chips (stale)
• Moldy cheese
• Shredded cardboard cereal boxes
• Hair trimmings including those your Hubby shaves off his face
• Toenail and fingernail clippings
• Cooked rice
• Old plain pasta
• The liquids from canned veggies and fruits
• Pencil shavings
• Cotton swabs with the cardboard sticks (not plastic)

And those are just a few of the weird and unusual things I found that can be composted!  In addition to that of course you can all old kitchen scraps (as long as they don’t have meat products), grass clippings, pine needles, leaves, etc…

I can wait to get my compost bin started and along with creating some nutrient rich material for my garden I am also helping keep necessary waste out of the landfills – it is win win for everyone!

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

               

Get a Little Crafty with a Pineapple Juice Can!

I finally used a can of pineapple juice that has been sitting in my pantry. It went fabulous with the ham I recently made. When I was finished with it though, I was perplexed as to what to do with the can.

Have you seen a pineapple juice can?? They are huge. LOL. Well, I had to get the creative juices (no pun intended…lol) flowing because there was no way I was throwing that bit of mess into a landfill!

What to do…what to do…

Then it dawned on me…Don’t just recycle it…Make something new with it! Now, keep in mind, I have not done this yet. It is still in my head. When I actually do it, I will post pics and instructions.

I am going to make a utensil holder. For big stuff, like wooden spoons, spatulas, etc.

What do you think?

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Stay Green!

               

Green Review: Green Bags (greenbag.info)

If you are a regular reader, then you know that I am a regular Christian wife and mommy who always trying to think green. I am by no means an expert. However, I am doing my best to make positive changes that will help me to be a better steward of God’s planet.

One thing that I just changed is buying a reusable grocery bag. I could only get one to start. I estimate I will need at least 5 bags to do a full grocery run. The good news is that they are super cheap! Yeah!

I love this bag. It is green. It says the name of my favorite grocery store on it and the material is great. It is easy to clean too. Just wipe. It comes with a plastic type material square piece for the bottom of bag to remain stable when groceries are in it.

I had the bagger put my groceries in it and I tossed it on my shoulder like any other hand bag. It was totally awesome people! ROFL! I am very happy that this change is occurring. I will finally be free of the bags and dilemma of how to reuse them!

When I got home with my groceries, I was looking over the bag, I saw a website; GreenBag.info

Me being me decided to check them out…

I read about my nifty new bag and found out how wonderful this reusable grocery bag is!

Features of my Green Bag Include…

• water repellent
• carries what takes 3-4 plastic bags
• the more people who use them the more trees we save
• 100% recyclable
• Easy to pack
• Easy to use
• Strong
• Can be used for more than just groceries
• The most affordable bag I have ever bought
• A one year guarantee…and I only paid a buck!
• It’s the color greeeeeen! Lol!

They do not offer an Online shop from what I could tell. However, they do have a query section and a section for retailers. I am considering having some make with Green Christian Network on them for my readers! What do you think??

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Stay Green!

               

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