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Author Archive | Jennie Lyon

4 Low Effort Ways to be More Eco-Friendly

July 30, 2020 0

NOTE FROM SWEET GREENS: This article wasn’t written by me. Thank you for supporting the companies that keep Sweet Greens in business.

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We all want to reduce our carbon footprint on the environment. We need to be resourceful in order to carefully steward this planet we call our home as science continually shows us that much of what we do on a daily basis has a direct and negative impact on the world.

Thankfully, we can all do seemingly small things consistently over time that will add up to do the most good. In this article, we will discuss four ways that you can easily be more eco-friendly:

Eat Meat Less Often
One does not need to become a vegan or live a stringently vegetarian lifestyle to make a difference, but making the choice to eat meat less often can have a significant global impact. It has been calculated that it takes more water to produce a pound of meat than it does to produce an equivalent amount of vegetables or grains. For example, producing a pound of Tofu requires 832 liters of water, while it takes between 6,800 and 9,400 liters to produce the same amount of meat. It also takes about 15 times the amount of fossil fuel to produce meat as it does vegetables or other foods.

All of this additional energy usage contributes to greenhouses gases that cause global warming and other deleterious effects on the planet. If everyone simply cut back on their meat consumption a little, it would have a tremendous impact overall.

Being Responsible with Your Waste
It’s understandably difficult for people to make the time to recycle the things that they no longer want or need. It takes a great deal of time and effort to collect and sort your items, as well as hauling them all the way to the recycling facility. It can be equally time consuming to load these items into your car for disposal in a landfill dumping area, not to mention the negative impact dumps can have on environment.

If you don’t have the time, do some research into alternative waste removal solutions. There are many companies out there who would be happy to pick up your recyclable waste, such as this London based rubbish removal company. They may cost a little more, but it would have a very positive impact on the environment.

Plant Some Trees
If you want to do something that will last for future generations, the best way is to plant a tree. Not only are they beautiful, but they provide our planet with necessary oxygen and are a habitat for the many creatures that depend on them for food and shelter.

In addition, you can save on your cooling bills by strategically planting trees to block against the wind while also using them to provide shade for your house. By doing so, you will require less planetary resources and fossil fuels to cool your home, making your carbon footprint that much smaller.

Change the Way You Travel
Changing your mode of transportation is one of those ways you can make a huge difference, as it is something that you do every day. The effects will be cumulative and will, hopefully, over time, become a habit.

If you drive a car, you can take the bus or subway if there is one in your area. If you do need to drive your car, try to figure out the most direct route you can take. Riding a bicycle is great for your health and for the planet, and when and if you are able, you can try walking to work!

If you want to reduce your impact on the environment, try implementing some of these methods and habits. We all have to do our part, and together, we can help preserve this planet and save our environment for all of our children.

Your Quick Guide to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycling at Home

July 29, 2020 0

If you want to start to live in a more sustainable way, then it starts at home. There are plenty of things that you can do, right from the comfort of your own home, in an effort to live sustainably. The main focus of this kind of living is three points; reduce, reuse, and recycle. You are likely to have heard all about those three things before, but what do they really mean? Here are some ideas for you, to show how you can reduce, reuse, and recycle at home.

Reduce

Reducing is all about using less and cutting down on the things that we use in the home, as well as the waste that we create. It can be about your energy levels too and how much energy you consume in the home. If you want to reduce how much waste you create, then it can start off with where you shop for groceries, for example. Look at how much waste plastic packaging there is, as well as deals and offers that are on. Do you really need certain items? If there is a buy-one-get-one-free deal, would you actually make use of the other item or would it end up being wasted? Of course, it could be given to someone else, but still, if it isn’t something that is a necessity, then is there a point taking up the deal if it will just end in unnecessary waste? 

If you want to reduce how much energy you use, then there are a number of ways that you can do just that. Your laundry is one of the main places to start. If you normally run a hot wash, then put your clothes on a cold wash instead. This can save a pretty significant amount of energy, believe it or not, as you don’t need to use up a lot of energy to heat up the water for the machine. The same goes for using the dryer too. Could you hang clothes out to dry outside instead? 

Reuse

Reusing things in our home can be one way to reduce, as well as recycle. We won’t need to buy more if we are reusing what we already have. One thing that is growing in popularity is water reuse. It is something that is easy to do, and yet it can make a massive difference. Bath water, waste water leftover in the sink, or collecting the water that you use from showing can all be used for things like plants, watering the lawn, and flushing the toilet. Collecting rainwater is another thing that you could do. 

No doubt there are a lot of things that you will throw away in your home. But how about looking at ways to reuse them, rather than just throwing them out? Could you keep old milk bottles or laundry liquid bottles and use them for other things? You should also think about the furniture that you have in your home too. So many bulky items end up in landfill when really, they are in  fine condition and could be used again. Take a table and chairs, for example. With the right kind of tools, you could be able to reupholster the chairs, or the table could be sanded down or repainted for a new purpose. The wood from the table could be made into shelving perhaps too. Just make sure that you have the right power tools for the job, as you can see here, and then you’ll be able to make something great. Reusing, and making a habit out of it, is something that can benefit everyone. 

Recycle

There are so many things that we can recycle. However, there are some materials that will require a little extra effort on our part, in order to get them to be recycled. Collect them up, find out where they can be recycled, and then you can go from there. Just because they can’t be recycled with your trash collection, doesn’t mean that it can’t be recycled at all. You can get a little creative with recycling too. There are so many things that you can make with waste boxes, packets, and bottles, and things like ripped clothes could become cleaning rags. 

When you live in a more sustainable way, it is great for everyone. You don’t need to spend a lot in order to live in this way. It is all about switching your mindset and thinking about the things that you can do that will make a difference. 

Eco-Friendly Tips to Help You Go Green in the Kitchen

July 27, 2020 1

In today’s society, people are becoming more aware of the impact their actions have. Whether it’s thinking more about what they’re putting in their body or how their actions are affecting the environment, more and more people are making better choices. In fact, 67% of millennials say they enjoy ordering healthy food when they’re out to eat. But while it’s easy enough to make healthy food choices, people also should be making good choices at home. And with these few simple tips, homeowners can be more eco-friendly in their kitchens.

One of the easiest ways to be more eco-friendly in the kitchen is to start exploring reusable packaging options. This is easy enough to do when you go grocery shopping if you bring your own shopping bags and buy unwrapped food products. And if you do have to buy packaged items, consider choosing environmentally-friendly packaging. Fortunately, more and more companies are implementing eco-friendly packaging, especially seeing as how the 2016 West Rock Consumer Insights Study found that 45% of consumers have chosen a product due to its eco-friendly packaging.

You can take using eco-friendly packaging even further and find ways to reuse items already around the kitchen as well. For example, you can reuse glass containers like wine bottles. And with 949 million gallons of wine being consumed in the U.S. in 2016 alone, chances are you’ve got a few of them laying around. So instead of getting rid of them, get creative and use them as vases, decoration, or to even store other food or drink items. Reusing whenever you can is a great way to be more eco-friendly in the kitchen.

A big contributor to non eco-friendly kitchen practices is using harmful cleaning supplies. Harsh chemical cleaners can not only be bad for the environment, but bad for your health as well. With that in mind, it’s important to consider alternative cleaning supplies that won’t harm you or the environment. Products like baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, and chemical-free soaps are great to use to clean the kitchen in a safe and harm-free manner.

And last but not least, one of the best ways to be more eco-friendly in the kitchen is to compost! Even if you try to keep your food waste to a minimum, there’s always going to be something that can’t be eaten. Whether it’s eggshells, coffee grounds, or vegetable scraps, it can still be harmful to the environment to throw these items away. But if you choose to compost them, you’ll be helping the environment — and your garden, if you have one. There are tons of different ways to compost, so you can easily find one that fits well with your lifestyle.

While going completely green around your home may seem impossible, it’s important to start taking baby steps. The kitchen is a great place to start because there are several ways to be more environmentally friendly with food and kitchen supplies. So if you’re looking for ways to help the environment, keep these eco-friendly tips in mind.

3 Advantages of Driving an Eco-Friendly Car

July 26, 2020 0

These days, hybrid cars are becoming more and more popular. Simply put, a hybrid car has two engines, an electric one and a conventional one that runs on gasoline. The electric motor powers the car at lower speeds, while the gas engine powers the car at higher speeds.

This hybrid technology has existed since the early 1900s, but it has only started gaining popularity in the last decade or so. Now that drivers are starting to understand the way they work and their advantages, more people are drawn to them. For those of you still wondering, here are some advantages of driving an eco-friendly car that may sway you to the other side.

Environmental Benefits

Obviously, an eco-friendly car will have environmental benefits. However, many people don’t understand what those benefits are. For starters, hybrid vehicles have fewer emissions. Hybrid cars use much less fuel than traditional vehicles, and they can go the same distance with substantially less toxic emissions. For example, the hybrid Prius 46 has an 11 gallon tank, allowing the vehicle to travel up to 600 miles before refueling.

Cost Effective

On the same note, when you have to fuel up less, you are spending much less money. Most hybrid cars can get up to 50 miles per gallon, which is almost unheard of for traditional gas engines. These cars are very attractive for those who have long commutes or like to travel. Hybrids are also much more effective in retaining gas in bumper-to-bumper, rush hour traffic.

Higher Resale Value

There are several reasons that hybrid vehicles have a higher resale value than traditional cars. First, they are made in smaller batches, making them much rarer. This plays the classic game of supply and demand. Secondly, gas prices are pretty much always rising, so more and more people are looking to purchase hybrid cars. It’s safe to say that you will get your money’s worth when you go to sell your hybrid.

Hybrid cars are growing much more popular in recent years, and that’s a great sign for the environment. About 20% of people buying used cars don’t test drive them first, and they probably won’t have to if they are buying a hybrid. Knowing these advantages could convince almost anyone to purchase a hybrid.

5 Non-Toxic Ingredients for DIY Cleaners and How to Use Them

July 25, 2020 2

Many people with pets or kids have noticed that many of the ingredients in commercial cleaning products are not only harmful to people and animals but can be fatal. So, it’s no surprise that people are looking to remove these harsh chemicals from their homes and replace them with great, green, healthy alternatives. Fortunately, there are some great, green, affordable substitutes that can be used pretty much anywhere in your home and that you likely already have sitting in the pantry. Read on for my 5 favorite, non-toxic ingredients for DIY cleaners and how to use them in your home.

1. Vinegar
Vinegar is my all-time favorite non-toxic cleaner. It removes odors, stains, and grease and can effectively prevent mildew and mold when applied regularly to shower walls, sinks, and toilet bowls. Vinegar neutralizes pet odors like cat urine and will help keep colors from bleeding from a new pair of jeans or a red shirt if you soak the clothing item in vinegar for 30 minutes before washing or dump a cup or so into the washer with the detergent. To remove corrosion and chemical buildup from showerheads, soak the showerhead in vinegar overnight. Plain white vinegar should be used but if the smell offends you, you can add 10-15 drops of essential oil to your cleaning mixture. My favorite all-purpose cleaner, for bathroom, kitchen, and glass, is simply 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water mixed in a spray bottle. That’s it!

Vinegar is a fantastic non-toxic cleaner; removing odors, stains, and grease!
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2. Baking Soda
Baking soda has virus-killing abilities and makes for an effective but gentle scrub for bathtubs, toilets, tile, and porcelain or stainless steel sinks. When I run out of Bon Ami, I pour baking soda in the sink, squeeze in half a lemon or pour in about ¼ cup vinegar, and scrub with a sponge or bristle brush. For a great toilet scrub, pour ½ cup baking soda into the toilet bowl and add 10 drops of tea tree essential oil and ¼ cup vinegar. The mixture will fizz while you scrub and cut through mold and grime while the tea tree oil disinfects. Tea tree oil and thyme oil are both great non-toxic disinfectants to be used in place of bleach. That said, just because they’re non-toxic doesn’t mean that you, your kids, or your pets should consume these products!

3. Castile Soap
Castile soaps are made from 100% plant oils so they’re safe and gentle but effective. While traditionally it’s recommended that wood floors be cleaned with pure water, I’ve added a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus castile soap to a warm bucket of water and mopped our wood floors with the mixture to clean and freshen up the room. Our floors aren’t wax-treated, so please ask a pro if yours are before using anything but water on your wood floors. Castile soaps are great all-purpose cleaners, too. Simply mix a tablespoon to a ¼ cup with warm water for washing down counters, tile, windows, or a sink full of dishes. The term “all-purpose” really applies to castile soap!

4. Lemon
Lemon juice kills mold and mildew, shines harder surfaces, cuts grease, and deodorizes. A cut lemon can be scrubbed over the surface of a cutting board to sanitize it. Simply rub a halved lemon over the surface, let sit for 10 minutes, and rinse. Lemon juice can be added to vinegar cleaning mixtures to add a fresh scent and aid in cutting grease. Lemon juice is a great bleach substitute for washing laundry, too; just add lemon juice to the rinse cycle.

Lemons are great for DIY cleaners – and a great substitute for bleach!
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5. Essential Oils
Peppermint, tea tree and thyme oils are my favorite for use in home cleaning products. Peppermint oil eliminates offensive odors and is a natural pest deterrent. I have successfully used peppermint oil to eliminate mice in one of our sheds by placing cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil around the entrances to the shed and places where the mice frequented. Tea tree oil eliminates mold and mildew; a few drops can simply be mixed with water and sprayed onto shower walls (don’t rinse it off) and left to kill mildew and mold. Thyme oil is a powerful, natural disinfectant that has been said to kill and prevent botulism, e. Coli, listeria, and salmonella. Add a few drops to your vinegar all-purpose spray or use in the same way as tea tree oil in the formula above.

YOUR TURN: What are your favorite DIY, green home cleaning products?

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