So You Think Your Kitchen is Clean…?
Many of us out there use sponges for all kinds of cleaning that takes place in the kitchen. However not many realize that dishcloths and sponges may leave toxic mess behind. Luckily for us, scientists have discovered ways to reduce that harmful toxic “leftovers” in our kitchens. Although sponges are known to be perfect breeding grounds for bacteria, it’s not advisable to reach for antibacterial or antimicrobial soaps or other cleaning products.
These products are treated with triclosan (a common pesticide), which not only may contribute to the rise of some drug-resistant bacteria, it does not provide additional protection against the ever-present bacteria beyond that of plain soap. Moreover, when exposed to water treated with chlorine (most city water), triclosan can create carcinogen chloroform (a by-product of the disinfection of drinking water that causes cancer in humans). And to top it all, it’s appearing in places it shouldn’t be, such as breast milk, streams and rivers, where sunlight can convert it to cancer-causing dioxins (highly toxic environmental pollutants) that end up in fish and then subsequently in our food chain.
So what can you do to get rid of some of the bacteria without leaving the harmful toxins behind?
• Keep your sponges dry and wring well after each use.
• Disinfect sponges once a week. You can do that by soaking them in water with a few drops of hydrogen peroxide or bleach or boiling them in water for a few minutes.
• Don’t clean cutting boards used for meat with the sponge. Use a dishrag instead since it can be washed.
• Replace them often (about once a month). Since a lot of the sponges are made from non-renewable petroleum so choose biodegradable or plant-derived cellulose sponges. And if these are not available at your local store, simply use washable, reusable dish towels.
A few easy steps and you’ll be on your way to a cleaner and healthier kitchen!
Eco-Friendly Grocery Shopping
Most of us do grocery shopping so often, it has become a habit. A habit that has a huge impact on the environment, whether we realize it or not. With just a few easy changes, you can make a positive difference in the world.
• Purchase recycled aluminum foil—it uses 1/20th of the energy needed to produce regular foil.
• Look for items without extensive packaging—Most packaging materials use some petroleum-based plastic. There are several ways to cut down on the energy and waste this produces. Purchase brands that use bio-based instead of petroleum-based plastic. Recycle or reuse packaging materials you end up having to buy.
• Bring your own reusable bag—it is estimated that 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year, which equals to 1 million bags used per minute! And unfortunately, less than 1% are recycled, which means the discarded bags will fill landfills, create litter and harm marine wildlife, like whales, seals and sea turtles.
• Buy local and organic—buying local food drastically reduces the energy spent on food shipping, which leads to reducing gas emissions. Local products are fresher, come in more varieties and tend to use minimal packaging. Produce grown organically use less fossil fuel and release fewer greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Moreover, organic farming is healthier and safer for the land, farmers and consumers.
• Buy fresh goods instead of canned—not only is it healthier for you and your family, it also limits the amount of tin and energy used for can production. And if you end up purchasing canned good, recycle the cans. It dramatically reduces the amount of waste.
• Limit the purchase of plastic and paper plates, cups and utensils—it is estimated that billions of paper and plastic cups, plates and utensil are used every year. Most of it will unfortunately end up in landfills and add to the pollution. And if you have to buy this kind of product, recycle it after.
Green Holidays
The holidays are just around the corner and everyone will be sending cards, wrapping gifts, decorating trees and throwing parties. Most of us don’t think about the impact this time of year has on the whole planet. During this season we create nearly 25 million tons of waste and send over 2.5 billion cards! So why not give the earth a gift this year with a few easy eco-friendly steps…
Here, you will find tips on how to give green and reduce the amount of paper waste, how to throw a green holiday party and how to make your tree eco-friendly.
Giving Green
This year, give back to the earth and save a buck or two. Did you know that if everyone sent just one less card per year, we could save 50,000 cubic yards of paper? Each ton of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil and 4,000 kilowatts of energy. This represents 64 percent in energy savings, and 60 pounds less air pollution. With those 17 trees saved, a total of 250 pounds of carbon dioxide can be absorbed and saved from the air each year. And if every family wrapped just three presents in recyclable materials, we would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields. So why don’t you do your part and give green!
Greeting Cards
• E-mail electronic cards to cut down on paper consumption.
• Send cards made out of recycled paper if you need to send paper cards.
• Send cards made of hemp. Hemp-based paper can be recycled several times more than wood-based paper.
• Look for cards that are biodegradable and made from pre-recycled materials.
• Recycle the cards you receive and the ones you don’t send.
Gift Wrapping
• Be creative. You can do artwork on recycled paper and use it for gift wrapping or use nice fabric, old maps or newspapers.
• Use beautiful organic recycled papers.
• Reuse the ribbon. Or try using something else to accent your gift wrap—twine or a festive broach that can be reused. Not only will it save you money, it will save trees and help the earth breath easier.
Green Holiday Party
Are you planning a holiday party this season? Make it eco-friendly with these few simple strategies.
• Send electronic invitations—it will save trees, reduce paper waste and save you money on postage.
• Ask your guests to carpool to the party—each gallon of gas used releases 25 lbs of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
• Turn the heat down—for every degree above 68 degrees, your heating device uses 3 to 5 percent more energy. Besides, all the people in your house will generate enough body heat to make up the difference.
• Save electricity—replace some of your lights with candles. Also, you can lower your energy consumption with compact fluorescent light bulbs. CFLs use four times less energy and last up to 10 times longer.
• Give up paper cups—use glass instead. It will not only help reduce the waste but will give your party the glamour effect paper cups won’t. And consider this: in 2005, Americans used and discarded 14.4 billion paper cups.
• Green groceries—use our tips for making smart and “green” decisions while shopping for groceries.
• Cleaning up
1. Use the dishwasher. The newest models use up to 50% less water than hand-washing.
2. Compost your garbage. It reduces the amount of waste in landfills, nourishes your soil and keeps your kitchen waste basket from stinking.
3. Use eco-friendly cleaning products—they are non-toxic and biodegradable, which makes them not only save for the environment but save for your home as well.
Make Your Tree Eco-Friendly.
With the global warming having such huge impact on our lives, the debate about Christmas trees takes on a new meaning this year—it moves from the questions of preference to the questions of being safer.
Artificial trees may seem like the more eco-friendly choice since they don’t require chopping down a real tree, however they are not the greenest choice. Plastic trees are made up of components like pvc (poly vinyl chloride), which causes water pollution, harms wildlife and damages our health.
So what are the green choices?
• Find a potted plant to use as a Christmas tree and replant it after the holiday.
• Buy a tree specifically farmed for the holiday.
• Look for organic trees or ones grown without pesticides.
• Buy a locally grown tree. You will save fossil fuel and limit the carbon dioxide emissions.
Decorating Your Tree
• Replace your old Christmas lights with LED Christmas lights—they are much can reduce your energy use by 90 percent.
• Plug your tree into a smart power strip—it automatically turns off when not in use, which will reduce your energy bill. Reducing energy usage also reduces carbon emissions since most of our power comes from coal-fired plants. And after the holidays, you can use the smart strip for computers, TV sets and other electronics.
• Decorate with ornaments made out of natural, recyclable or compost materials.
Recycle Your Tree—your tree can be turned into mulch or chips for your garden. It is a wonderful way of giving back and beginning a new, more eco-friendly year…