Tag Archives | eco home

5 Benefits of Bamboo Bed Sheets

August 14, 2015 1

Note from Sweet Greens: Meggie Haneckow

Bamboo bedding has incredible benefits for you and your family. Below are a few of the benefits that bamboo bed sheets and comforters provide.

1. Environmentally Friendly
Any bedding made from bamboo is environmentally friendly whether its bamboo bed sheets, bamboo comforters, or bamboo duvet covers. Bamboo is a grass that grows back on its own even after it is cut down. This means that it is a naturally renewable resource and using bamboo in textile production reduces our reliance on nonrenewable resources. Any changes that we can make to reduce our reliance on nonrenewable resources helps to protect the environment.

2. Hypoallergenic and Chemical Free
Organic bamboo bedding is naturally hypoallergenic and also chemical free. Truly organic bamboo bedding is never treated with chemicals in any step of its production. Even while it grows, bamboo isn’t treated with chemicals because it doesn’t need pesticides to protect it. During textile product companies avoid using harsh chemicals and dyes so the bamboo can keep all of its beneficial qualities.
The hypoallergenic and chemical free qualities of bamboo bed sheets make them a great option for infants and children. Buying bamboo crib sheets or twin size bamboo sheets can help relieve your children’s allergies so they can breathe easier and sleep through the night.

3. Antibacterial
In addition to being hypoallergenic and chemical free, another benefit of bamboo is that it is naturally antibacterial. This is because bamboo bed sheets and comforters wick excess moisture away from your bed at twice the rate of cotton, the fabric traditionally used in bedding. Less moisture means that bacteria can’t grow as easily as it can in traditional bedding, leaving your bed healthier than ever before.

4. Temperature Regulating
Since bamboo bed sheets and comforters wick moisture away, they reduce the presence of humidity in your bed. As we all know, humidity is the enemy in extreme temperatures. By eliminating humidity, bamboo bed sheets and comforters can keep you cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter since the moisture isn’t aggravating the extreme temperatures.

5. Softer and More Comfortable
Bamboo bed sheets are also surprisingly soft. In fact, organic bamboo bedding is even softer than cotton. The threads of bamboo have almost a plush feel, making them extra soft and cozy. Bamboo bed sheets and comforters wrap you up in a cocoon of luxury and comfort, which makes your bed a haven from the hard-working world.

With all of these benefits, bamboo bed sheets are great addition to any home, which makes them the perfect gift.

To find the perfect bamboo bed sheets, bamboo comforters, and bamboo duvet covers, shop at Cozy Earth! Cozy Earth has the softest, most environmentally friendly bamboo bedding on the market today. With Cozy Earth bamboo sheets, you can sleep soundly knowing that you have the best bedding in the world.

Alarming Effects of Indoor Air Pollution

July 23, 2015 1

Indoor air pollution can stem from a variety of causes, some of which may be surprising such as toiletries. Mainly, though, the quality of air indoors is the result of a push and pull between the ventilation system and pollutants found inside the house or building.

There are a lot of other contributing factors to indoor air pollution, and not many people are aware of just how dangerous such a condition at home can be. In fact, more than half of the deaths caused by exposure to air pollution can be attributed to indoor air pollution. Let’s take a look at its alarming effects.

Effects on Health
People spend a lot of their time indoors, and if the quality of air inside homes and office buildings is not good, it could have negative effects on health. Repeated exposure to indoor pollutants can lead to both immediate and long-term health concerns, particularly respiratory problems such as asthma. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported in 2012 that 4.3 million people a year die prematurely from sickness and health problems that are attributable to household air pollution.

Effects on the Environment
In the poorest areas around the world, indoor air pollution is a silent but deadly tyrant. Largely generated by inefficient and poorly ventilated stoves that burn wood and other biomass fuels, it not only is responsible for the deaths of an estimated 1.6 million people a year, it also adds to the build-up of greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere which contributes to climate change. Furthermore, the continued use of biomass fuels exacerbates deforestation, which, in turn, can lead to loss of biodiversity and soil erosion among others.

Preventing Indoor Air Pollution
With the many dangers that indoor air pollution poses, it is imperative for everyone to find ways to minimize or completely obliterate harmful pollutants in the home. One way of doing this is by simply improving ventilation in the home. Using high quality air filters and changing them regularly ensures that the air you breathe indoors is clean and healthy.

Changing from solid fuels to cleaner technologies is another way. This not only greatly reduces indoor air pollution; it also minimizes environmental impacts of energy consumption as well as production in general.

Increasing public awareness of the effects that indoor air pollution has on both human health and the environment is a vital factor for change.

Full Disclosure: This post was sponsored post by Filterbuy.com

7 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Recycle

July 17, 2015 2

It’s no secret that our landfills are filling up, and fast. Each person in America generates approximately 4.5 lbs of trash each day—with a population of 317 million people, that’s a LOT of garbage! We all know about the obvious ways to reduce solid waste—donating old clothes, recycling containers, composting, and choosing biodegradable when possible—but it turns out that a lot of other commonly used products can be recycled or reused, too. Here’s a list of 7 you may not have known about.

#1: Markers

Crayola’s ColorCycle initiative takes old Crayola markers and re-uses and recycles the barrels and caps in the production of new markers. As a bonus, Crayola also uses 100% reforested wood to make their colored pencils as well as other eco-friendly practices.

#2: Corks

If you needed an extra reason to buy that bottle of wine, Recork turns used corks into building insulation, shoes, and more. Find out where to recycled your corks.

#3: Pantyhose

No Nonsense, a manufacturer of tights, panty hose, leggings, and socks will take back used pairs pantyhose and tights and make them into things like park benches, running tracks, and playground equipment—how cool is that? Find out how to recycle your used pair on No Nonsense’s Recycling page.

#4: Bras

Bras are a highly sought-after item in shelters and transitional programs. While most women trash their used (or poorly fitted) bras, thinking perhaps that no one would want to purchase a used bra at a second hand store, companies like The Bra Recyclers are more than happy to accept used bras and other textiles. Their mission is to reduce the amount of textiles in landfills by recycling and reusing textiles in an effort to support people and the environment.

#5: Old CD’s

I’ve always wondered why CD’s couldn’t be recycled—turns out they can! The CD Recycling Center of America accepts CD’s and DVD’s and recycles them into plastic for automotive and building materials in an effort to reduce oil consumption (plastic discs are made from oil), eliminate the toxic fumes produced when CD’s are incinerated, and keep CD’s out of landfills.

#6: Crayons

Each year, the National Crayon Recycling Program keeps more than 94,000 lbs of unwanted crayons out of landfills. The program has nation-wide drop off bins that accept used crayons that will be recycled into new ones. They accept all crayons but as a bonus sort and discard crayons manufactured in foreign countries before 1995 that may contain questionable materials.

#7: Apple Products

Apple accepts old iPods, iPhones, computers, and more and recycles or reuses the product or its parts. If your old product qualifies for reuse, Apple will give you a gift card for the monetary value of your old product. If it does not qualify for reuse, Apple will safely recycle your product free of charge.

This list of 7 is just the tip of the iceberg! From batteries to eyeglasses, there are many more household items that can be recycled, and the number of products and materials is growing all the time as more and more companies spring up hoping to reduce consumption and waste.

YOUR TURN: Do you have other inside info on lesser-known recyclable or reusable products or materials?

The Impact of Recycling: Making a Difference

February 17, 2015 3

Did you know that the average American household generates more than 11 pounds of waste every day? Wow! That is a lot. That adds up to 251 million tons of waste each year nationwide. Approximately 75 percent of that waste is recyclable, but more than 135 million tons of it still ends up in landfills. If every American household doubled the amount of waste added to the recycle bin instead of the trash bin, 71 million tons of waste could be kept out of landfills each year.

Reducing household trash has other positive effects on the nation besides keeping waste out of landfills. Recycling also benefits the environment and the economy. Recycling products reduces the amount of fuel needed to produce new materials. Americans recycle 87 million tons of waste per year, and the amount of greenhouse gas emissions saved is equivalent to removing 33 million cars from the road. Just the number of aluminum cans saved from American trash bins annually saves enough gasoline to fuel more than 722,000 cars for over three years. Recycling is a big deal! To learn more about the benefits of recycling, and how this simple act can make a huge impact, check out the infographic below!

This post wasn’t written by me, thank you for supporting the businesses that keep Sweet Greens running!

REVIEW: Fire & Flavor Gluten Free, Certified Non-GMO Rubs

February 11, 2015 0

In Florida, it’s always warm enough to grill! We recently received a set of Fire & Flavor’s gluten free, certified Non-GMO rubs and seasonings to review. Fire & Flavor, based in Athens, GA, helped to popularize cedar plank grilling, which as become a favored technique for grilling fish. A WBE certified woman owned business, Fire & Flavor was founded by Gena Knox. Knox’s Southern background and love of family and friends fueled her passion for cooking. Today, the company shares all kinds of ways to make food more delicious, nutritious, and easier to cook.

Those of you who are experienced grillers know that a good seasoning or rub will compliment the natural flavor of a food without overpowering it—which is exactly what Fire & Flavor’s rubs do! Fire & Flavor uses all natural ingredients to make flavor-filled rubs that make any cook feel like a gourmet chef, including the Classic Rub, Everyday Rub, Turkey Rub, and Coffee Rub—yum! While grillers will embrace the dynamic uses of these seasonings, anyone can use them. Fire & Flavor’s website offers ideas for how to use the rubs and the Everyday Rub, for example, tastes great on seafood, chicken, and even sweet potatoes. As an added eco-bonus, rubs come in a recyclable shaker-top jar and the company uses BPA-free packaging. The company also sells brines, cedar planks, and cookbooks.

We reviewed the seasons & rubs including the coffee, classic, everyday rub, and the turkey rub. The Coffee Rub, which combines fresh-roasted coffee with a hint of ancho chile pepper and brown sugar. We tried it on grass-fed steak. The Classic Rub is great for tenderizing lean pork chops, as well as chicken, without overpowering natural flavors – we used it on organic chicken. The Everyday Rub is made from a mild blend of assorted chilies, paprika, brown sugar, onion, and garlic. We used this rub on fresh fish!

Whether you’re an avid griller or beginning cook, Fire & Flavor’s rubs add gourmet home-cooking flavor to any meal.

Full Disclosure: I received samples of this product and was compensated for this sponsored post – however, all opinions are my own.

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Tag Archives | eco home

5 Benefits of Bamboo Bed Sheets

Alarming Effects of Indoor Air Pollution