We hear the term, going green and benefits associated to health and wellness as well as environmental concerns. Green cleaning companies are doing so much to spread the word.
Ask yourself, do you want to live more eco friendly? Do you know the benefits? What does it even mean? It is on TV, internet, newspapers, magazines and television shows, rather like the buzz word again resurfacing.
What are some of the components of Goes Green? Here is your check list:
Natural
Biodegradable
No phosphates
No chlorine bleach
Hypoallergenic
No testing on animals
Nontoxic
It is so vital to change our purchasing habits for containers for products that are recyclable
For many fragrance FREE is vital, some people natural fragrance is tolerable. I know of several people house bound due to other people using fragrances and two friends have died because of coming in contact with someone with toxic fragrances on.
Highly condensed so as few bottles are used as possible
The internet has been a great boon to the desire to reduce fossil fuels and auto emissions. You can order high quality non toxic products from Green Cleaning Companies
For me, developing and changing to a Goes Green home was in some way a challenge but looking back, every action was so well worth it. It is always suitable and shipped right to my door. I’m finding I’m saving money, mostly on the highly condensed eco friendly products: for example – dishwasher soaps, kitchen cleaners, laundry and such. I also save auto fuel and time not having to drive for that forgotten item that I would have run out of. Well, it makes a HUGE change.
We consistently place a lot less into the recycle bins or garbage cans, saving $ and time. When I decided to become a Goes Green I had no idea how passionate I would become. Now I’m equally passionate on helping others making the change. What goes around comes around. Are you becoming a Goes Green family?
Saving Energy, use safe cleaning products and improve the environment. It seems when someone wakes up and starts to Go Green, they not only look at toxins in their environment but also the saving of energy which is so important globally.
What would it mean to your family to lower your energy bills and know that you are contributing to a cleaner environment, both in your home and outside? To many, it means a lot as we become more informed. Very simple changes can make a big difference. Often it is the little things that really matter.
Microwave:
Let’s look at the kitchen first. Many homes have microwaves as they are fast and easy. They use one-fifth and a half of the energy that your regular stove would use. All those more efficient, especially for leftovers, much research is showing that even short exposure damages the life force and nutrition of the food you are going to consume. It is something to consider. It is so important to use non toxic household cleaners inside where you food will be cooked if you continue to use one. One thing we did in our home to slow the use, was to put it deep into the garage. That has made people really think before they use it.
Dish Washing:
There are two common ways to wash dishes, by hand and by dishwasher. If you start by looking a dish washing by hand, be sure to use a green safe dishwashing product. There are many green cleaning companies that specialized in pure chemical free products and very concentrated so that the cost is less than what one commonly finds on the grocery shelves.
When doing your dishes by hand; save energy and money by filing one basin with warm biodegradable soapy dishwater. Then fill the other basin with clear fresh water to rinse. Never run water from the tap as it uses so much extra water to get the job done.
When using the dishwasher, as many homes do, first be sure to get a safe cleaning product that is eco friendly. Make sure to rinse the dishes in cold water, then stack. There are several companies selling safe detergents for dishwashers and they too are highly concentrated.
Read over your manual, for example, some dishwashers have a rinse and hold. But that can use an extra 3 to 8 gallons of hot water. Is this worth it each time in energy spent and money down the drain? It is recommended to have your water temp set at about 115 degrees. This is hot enough to do the job but not too much to waste energy and money. There are excellent safe electric dish washer products that are highly concentrated.
Each of us makes personal decisions, please just do your best and make changes for safe cleaning products and save energy for all. The world will thank you and so will your grandchildren as we pass the earth to them. May you find your health and wellness for your family!
Are you aware of the serious dangers with toxins in our homes and work environments? The lack of consumer awareness is disturbing. Chemical free cleaning products have been available for some time but all too many people are unaware or unconcerned. Going Green is the buzz word of the day so perhaps it’s time to revisit the science behind environmental toxins.
To be able to evaluate home toxins Harris Interactive did a poll of 1,108 mothers from across the US and all with children 18 years or younger. See how you feel about the results.
95% believed that the cleaning products in their home could be made from toxic materials.
61% also tended to agree that the fumes made them ill from the cleaning products they used; from cleaning floors, washing windows and oven cleaning for example.
81% felt that what they were using was leading to or aggregated physical for example: kicking off an asthma attack both in their children and adults members.
Unfortunately it was found that 70% believed these toxic supplies were more than safe around their home and family.
It was found that only 49% were concerned when they used the toxic products as directed on the labels.
The evaluation showed 38% believed the EPA.s scientifically researched plan that their own indoor air was more toxic than the normal outdoor air
Despite the frustration or compliancy, 94% stated they would actually change to the healthier environmentally free cleaning products.
What do these results show? Good news, many are taking advantage of this important information for the health and wellness of their family and children, yet many more people are hiding with their heads in the sand, ignoring their health both now and what is to come. Education is desperately needed. Some times that comes best from woman to woman, friend to friend, and yes public announcements. But remember there is a strong financial justification among cleaning companies to debunk this type of information.
One area that is note worthy is natural non toxic laundry detergent is on the rise over the last few decades. Major consumer brands are starting to give options, but more education is necessary. If you consider yourself a Goes Green Home, great for you! Please try to find one more thing you can do to add to it. If you are not a Green Home, please consider the physical and emotional health benefits and start exchanging toxins each shopping time with Chemical Free Cleaning Products. Even the best, none of us is hitting a 100%, but let’s move forward day by day, for your family and the earth. Just have Health and Wellness as a family motto.
We all hear a lot now days about Going Green and the affect on the environment. That is true, but let’s focuses on health for the family first, because what affects your family does affect the world. Non toxic household cleaners are a really big part of health and wellness within the family and also for what goes into our water supply. It is hoped, these times, these small steps can bring a big difference to your family. Usually taking small consistent steps lead to more permanent changes, but some people do better just plunging in and becoming a convert in a big step. Please consider sharing this information with friends, families and even social networks. The more of us on board with cleaning up our own back yard, takes a big step to helping others.
Toxic chemicals in your home and in environment, for example at work, are seriously impacting your health and that of your family: mentally, emotionally and especially physically.
Did you know the average home will have over 150 chemicals? Issues like allergies, cancer, psychological disorders and birth defects among others are affected by these chemicals. Resource: 2006 Consumer Protection Agency. It is odd how going green is becoming embraced by so many and totally ignored by so many others. We have one earth, most of us one home and our health, so what is the confusion?
There are many simple tips on green living that do not seem like they would make a lot of difference, but they do. Even small steps you take on a large impact. How do you start developing a non toxic home environment? The same way you eat an elephant, one step at a time.
Tips on where to start, replace the following with non toxic household cleaners and products:
Scented Products – there is an alarming sharp rise of people with environmental allergies, sometimes leading to death. Look for clearly labeled Unscented or Fragrance Free. Just saying Natural does not mean the same thing. These allergies lead to people becoming home bound or waring respirators when going shopping or to, for example, the movies. It is not uncommon for these people to have their groceries delivered as well as other needed products.
1. First obviously get rid of all scented products, not only they un-needed by there are an alarmingly sharp rise of people who have environmental allergies. That leads from mild to others carrying mini respirators, avoiding all public places like theaters, many stores, and even becoming home bound. Fragrances are an artificial ingredient made normally of chemicals.
2. How do you live Green with cleaning products? Look for non toxic, chemical free, fragrance free, not animal tested, bio-degradable. Often at your health food stores there will be an excellent supply but don’t turn your attention away from those companies on the internet that deliver. Usually by purchasing in larger amounts and delivered, you are not getting a load of water to pay for which is sometimes common in grocery story products. Do your research!
3. Check how your laundry is being handled. Since laundry lies against your skin and that of family matters, and skin is the largest elimination organ, it is also the largest organ to bring toxins or other things into your system. Want a fast test to prove the point. Take an essential oil OR if you are still using chemical perfumes for example: put several drops on the bare part of the insole of you foot, rub in a bit; now count seconds. How long until you can taste it in your mouth? That gives you a good idea of how powerful we are affected by what touches our skin. And remember laundry water goes straight into the ground water source. Yes I know, we are told how thing are filtered, but research is showing the problems we are having with the technology they use. Watch out for dryer sheets, fabric softeners, Clorox, etc. they can be purchased Green if you do your research.
4. Have you considered the affect of swimming in chlorine swimming pools? Use the saline based pools for health instead. This also goes for the water piped into your home. What is your family bathing in or using in the shower head? How do you like a chlorine showers.
5. The air we breathe is often taken for granted. When they did tests in large amounts of polluted cities, it was found that the outdoor air was less toxic than the indoor air! Today is the day to open the windows and doors and air the house out. Freshness of clean air can really refresh someone. Air filters certainly should be considered in certain situation.
You would never knowingly wade through toxic pools of pollution. So why do we surround ourselves with it each and every day? Yes it is that import if you consider not only your health and wellness but that of the world. Talking about the problem doesn’t do much, well a little as it spreads the word, but what we need to do is DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Each and every one of us plays a part in standing up for non toxic household cleaning supplies. Will you take a stand?
Have you considered yourself a Goes Green family or do you still trust the old line of it doesn’t really make any difference? With non toxic laundry detergent and all other eco friendly prodcts, there are so many areas to consider. The first might be for you; do these natural cleaning products really work that well or are they just over priced and over sold.
What are some areas to consider?
One of the major differences is with most of the products sold off the grocery store shelves is that you are buying water and lots of water for your money. Most high quality cleaners, laundry and other types of bio-degradable cleaning solutions are highly concentrated. It is important to not just quickly look at the price but to look at how much cleaning product are you purchasing.
For example:
Laundry soap A costs $14.00 and you get 35 loads that is $0.40 a load.
Laundry soap B costs $28.00 and was in a much smaller bottle, would you buy it? Probably not unless you did the math and discovered it did 105 loads. And lets be real, how often do you stop and do the math, normally people just grab the cheapest product off the shelf. After all it’s faster and it doesn’t make any matter or does it?
Eco Friendly products are doing we is needed to protect not only the earth and our water supplies but also your home and family. Most store soaps are full of chemicals and fragrances, those chemicals get into our blood stream both by touching our skin and in the air we breath. Just how many loads of laundry does your family do each week? And then take that time a year. That is a lot of toxins that is totally unnecessary. And saving money is a high priority as long as the quality is top notch.
Is doing your wash a big deal, well no, but it does have a large impact on the environment. All over the world, water is becoming a very rare resource and we have to learn new ways of conservation, like reusing water and recycling gray water for watering plants, garden or even filtering for personal use again. You probably are not doing this but in many areas in this country as well as areas globally, water is a resource that is precious beyond gold.
Non toxic laundry detergent should be natural, fragrance free (yes clean has no smell), concentrated and be without chlorine or phosphates. That’s green clean. You will find green stain removers and fabric softeners. For those that have really extra dirty cloths, kids to labors, you will find quality that can be counted on. For those with the little ones, our babies with tender skin or even adults with allergies, green non toxic fragrance free laundry soaps can be a wonderful surprise.
Most companies give guarantees as well so what you have to lose. Help the earth by keeping our water pure. Help your family by keeping the toxins out of your green home, save money and know that you are improving the health of your family as well.
Non Toxic Laundry Detergent is just the first step to developing a Goes Green home. One step at a time, each change you make does make a big difference. Together we all can change the toxic earth and leave a much brighter future for our children.
Due to the many television advertisements and well written magazine articles on Eco friendly cleaning, the public is becoming more informed of the health hazards due to their cleaning products. As the baby boomers take their place in generations, there is also a growing concern on how to stay healthy and live longer vibrant lives. The general public are having realizations that many of our illnesses, both physical and emotional and disease comes from various types of contaminates in our homes.
This is especially true for woman or anyone who does not work outside their home. Offices and work environments are not much better about offering health oriented environments. How can you consider what attributes eco friendly cleaning products have? When you purchase look for the following requirements. Some of the primary requirements are:
* Natural
* Nontoxic – chemical free
* No phosphates
* Biodegradable
* No chlorine
* Never tested on animals
* Fragrance Free (this is often overlooked but an ever growing number of people are fragrance sensitive)
* Highly Concentrated
School Systems: There are so many health concerns due to our environmental exposure. How about the increase in your schools of asthma, emotional problems, behavioral disorders, learning challenges, and more? What type of chemicals are your children subjected to each day? Have you ever followed the janitor around to see what the school cleans with each day? Doubtful if it is eco friendly cleaning supplies. You can get involved and make a difference.
Reproductive System: How is that affected by our toxic exposure? We have so manmade chemicals that are growing rapidly and affecting our overall health, but when our reproductive systems are affected, future generations are affected in an ongoing way.
Green Peace in 2006 wrote an extensive article on the decline in human health and reproduction due to the extended exposure to all the hazardous chemicals we surround ourselves with at home, work and even in our yards. You can Google for a copy of the article.
Mold and Mildew: Another area that is common especially in damp climate. They are nothing more than microscopic forms of fungi. With the release the spores, fungi reproduce and are usually airborne in their dispersal. People who are sensitive report more infections, allergic reactions and various toxic diseases. Unfortunately having exposure to molds over a long time leads to a wide range of health issues.
Eco Friendly Cleaning for mold – first rule is prevention is a good beginning so if you have warm humid air, looking into air purification and disinfection systems can be a big help. Then referring back to the basics of what is non toxic, use a cleaning system that is also healthily for your family.
Health and Wellness of Pets: Here is another area where people commonly use harsh chemicals to clean up around their pets. Small animals with shorter life spans are often greatly affected by the chemicals around them. It’s odd that many people choose high quality foods and treats but when it comes to cleaning the floor or wash their toys, they use poisons. It’s something to think about.
It wouldn’t take long for you and your family to make a list of where you are all being exposed to toxins. If you want to do something about it and work towards health and wellness, consider eco friendly cleaning. Your body, mind and emotions will thank you.
We all have heard to old adage, drink at least 2 quarts of water each day to stay healthy. Why? Your body, average is 61.8 percent water by body weight. The water is what flushes all the toxins out of our system among other necessary processes. However if the water we take in is toxic then obviously it cannot do much of a job towards our health removing toxins. Environmental toxins get into our water systems in many ways.
Toxins coming off of chemicals from land running into creaks, streams, lakes, oceans and even ground water. Do you use natural biodegradable products for your gardens and lawn or do you buy the highly toxic chemicals in our local stores and work to have the greenest grass on the block or the brightest garden in towns. Just where does your run-off go?
Drugs are entering our drinking water at alarming rates. As people take more and more medications, much is released into the water system flushed into the toilet. You would think they are all filtered out but unfortunately not true. Even though it is filtered many times, antibiotics are increasing at rates in our water that now contribute to them being less affective when you really need them. This is a major health crisis
Not only antibiotics, but estrogens and the many doses of hormones that both people and animals are taking. Then antidepressants are having a major impact, which is especially dangerous for teens.
Farming is a serious problem as it is rare to find a farm that does not use artificial fertilizers. They eventually leach into our water system.
Drinking those two quarts of fresh water just isn’t what it used to be and we should all be concerned about it. Environmental toxins are increasing the illnesses and general health of people and many are totally unaware of the growing problem. Look to investing in good quality water purification sources for your home.
Carry fresh water with you for yourself and your family but let’s be responsible. The sales of those ever visible plastic throw away water bottles are both expensive and damaging to the environment, both in creating the bottles and filling the landfills. You can invest in an easy to carry permanent water bottle from most grocery stores and camping stores. It is well worth the price for your pocket book and worth the time to do so for your health. Environmental toxins do not have to be in your water. Have you had your 2 quarts yet today?
Have you considered how healthy is your home environment? One area is environmentally safe cleaning products and non toxic chemicals. Friends who knew us well had commented that our home was toxic and perhaps that was not only affecting the environment but also our health as a family. Like many people we had our share of normal, whatever normal means, of aches, pains, illnesses, sleep issues and more. But basically we considered ourselves a healthy family.
After several remarks and noticing more advertising on TV and magazines about going green for our homes and global environment, I started by doing some research. Doing some Google Searches on the area of toxins in the home, especially cleaning supplies and their relationship to health, I found myself becoming more informed. We talked it over and decided to make a change.
For our family it was an all our nothing approach, or as my grandmother would say, “in for a penny, in for a pound”, not that you might do it this way but it sure worked out best in the long run. My husband and I took a Saturday, many boxes and went room to room, collecting anything that had toxic chemicals or fragrances (especially since some of us had allergies to fragrances). Our boxes grew as we cleared through each room.
Especially notable were the vast amounts of cleaning products and none of them had fallen into the category of environmentally safe cleaning supplies. Also very notable was that many products were needed for different cleaning situations. The cost started ringing up in my mind. Many were rarely used and often dried up and unusable.
Once the whole house was done, top to bottom, we were totally shocked at what we spent and on reading labels, what we had been exposing ourselves and family to. Wake up time had hit us head on.
Through research and the advice of friends we changed over to totally non toxic biodegradable cleaning supplies. As well as, house rules, NO fragrance like incense, perfumes, colognes, or even in the personal care line. Yes a minor revolt among the teens but we were determined to do this experiment. We threw open the doors and windows to freshen the air.
The outcome was dramatic, not only did we save money because the quality biodegradable fragrance free products lasted much longer; most were also used for multiple purposes. Saving money was a big feature since at first glance they were more expensive but when comparing how much was used to do the same job, there was no comparison in almost every case.
The second area for us was quality when using them. I found better results and an additional surprise. What does clean smell like? Well for Grandma it was Pine, no pine smell or ammonia, and then could not possibly be clean. Clean has no smell. That took a head shaking review.
Lastly health was considered. For us everyone noticed some responses after sometimes only a day or two, others took a week or more to honestly report results. Included were: no need for allergy medicines from home toxins, better attitudes, less angry out bursts or depression, back aches melted away, some of us slept better, headaches decreased, and more. This was a surprise in such a short time, especially when temperament of teens improved. Now you certainly might not have the same results, or they might be in different areas. No guaranteed is made. I’m sure environmentally safe cleaning products for floors, laundry, kitchen needs and all other areas were the same or even better in quality. So now we are a Goes Green Home and on the eye for other ways to keep our environment safe and healthy for all. More serious medical issues can be researched and evaluated as well.
