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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.

How Do I Recycle This? 7 Weird Items That You Can Recycle

July 25, 2020 5

You are recycling plastic, paper, and cans at home and that is great! Now, what do you do with the things that you want to recycle but your recycling center won’t take? Here are some ways to recycle those hard to recycle items and reasons why you should.

1. Cell Phones:
Cell phones are hazardous waste because they contain Mercury, Lead, Arsenic, and Cadium. If thrown in with your trash, they can cause environmental contamination including combustion and leakage into the ground, water, and soil. Unfortunately, only 2% of cell phones are recycled. Check out Earth911.org to find a local cell phone recycling drop off location or mail them to:

Recycle My Cell Phone/Collective Good
4508 Bibb Blvd Suite B-10
Tucker, GA 30084

2. PC’s, MP3 Players and Cameras: 
You can trade these items online at My Boneyard or Venjuvo. You can also get store credit for them at Radio Shack or Office Depot.

3. Plastic Bottle Caps: 
Plastic Bottle Caps are made of a different type of plastic that can’t be easily recycled. You can drop them off at your local Aveda Store.

4. Plastic Bags and Film: 
More and more retailers have in–store bins to collect your film, plastic shopping, produce, and Ziploc bags. To find a local drop off location in your area visit Plastic Bag Recycling

5. Plastic Packing Peanuts:
Locate a shipping company in your area that can reuse your plastic packing peanuts at Loose Fill Packaging. Then in the future, try to use companies that use compostable peanuts.

6. Worn out Athletic Shoes:
Nike will take your old worn-out athletic shoes and turn them into Nike Grind, a material used in
sports surfaces at Nike Reuse A Shoe

7. Rechargeable Batteries:
Once your rechargeable batteries are no longer chargeable (after about 1,000 charges) send them to RBRC for recycling.

Are there items that you need help recycling? Drop me a line, I will be happy to help!

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?

BEE Well with Big Dipper Wax Works Natural Candles

July 23, 2020 19

Did you know that candles made from paraffin, which is a petroleum by–product, fill the air with carcinogens such as benzene and toluene? These chemicals are as dangerous as breathing second-hand smoke. (I have to admit, I was a little surprised by this.)

Also, candles made outside of the U.S. use lead to make the wicks. LEAD! I know, can you believe it? For these reasons, I have switched to 100% beeswax and soy candles. I am especially fond of the beeswax candles from Big Dipper Wax Works. They smell amazing, are non-toxic, and made using 100% renewable resources. Did you know that beeswax candles release negative ions into the air that eliminate allergens and pollutants?

Big Dipper Wax Works makes the most fabulous hand-poured beeswax candles that are made with the finest beeswax and essential oils. These candles are to die for, you will love them! The smell is amazing and so relaxing. They come in elegant glass containers that are both beautiful and reusable. Also, each candle comes beautifully packaged in either 100% recyclable or compostable packaging and includes a sweet bee matchbook with each candle. My favorite scents are the Clary Sage and Ylang Ylang and the Grapefruit and Fennel.

But, don’t take my word for it, try them for yourself!

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