Sunday, August 12, 2007

Going Green

In recent years, a lot of awareness has been raised for eco-friendly lifestyle choices. This ranges from buying organic produce to buying hybrid cars. Let's face it, though. Both of those items are very expensive, much more expensive than the regular environmentally and bodily harmful versions. I live in an area that doesn't have those supermarkets that sell organic produce. As for the car, well, I'll have to get myself a full driver's license before I'll buy a car. Hopefully by that time, I'll be able to afford it!

For now, what I can do is to start by using eco-friendly cleaning solvents around the home. My mom and I have decided that once we finish using up these store-brand cleaners, we'll stop buying them and instead, we'll mix our own cleaning solvents. To do this, I started some research on the internet to find recipes for mixing these eco-friendly cleaning solvents. Here are some websites:

The Grassroots Store
I've been to the location on the Danforth, and I know that there is another location on Bloor St. They have a wide range of pre-mixed powders that you can use to create your own cleaning solvents. You should bring your own containers in which to hold the powders. They also have eco=friendly soaps and shampoos for showering and bathing.

Green Technology: the Environmentally Friendly Solution
This article, written by Lana Christian, is very informative as it explains in ordinary English what is wrong with the store-brand products we use in our homes and offices, and then it gives you alternative suggestions to making or buying products that are more eco-friendly. I love the way she ended her article:
"Everything we do impacts the environment. What matters is how big a footprint we leave on it. We need to look through "green lenses" to minimize that footprint. It starts with you."

Laundry--Ugh!!!
Call me weird, but I would rather clean a bathroom than to do laundry. I don't know why. I love clean clothes; I just don't like doing the work to make them clean. I should be shot for saying this because in our modern age, we are so lucky to have these high-tech washers and dryers that make doing laundry so much easier than it was back in our grandparents' days. For those of you who love doing laundry and would like to help reduce the harm inflicted on the environment, here is an article that gives you some basic tips. It talks about how to choose eco-friendly products in the stores. Unfortunately, if you want to read more of the article, you'll have to sign up.

CBC's Article
It's by the CBC. Enough said, just read it.

Vinegar--Ew!!!
I absolutely hate vinegar. The only types of vinegar I'll have is the red ones you use in Chinese restaurants when you eat seafood, and some brands of salt and vinegar chips. The thing is, I'm going to have to learn to accept--not love--vinegar. Vinegar is like the magic ingredient--not as magical as baking soda, of course--to making an effective and environmentally harmless cleaning solvent. Becareful, though, because it's not always bodily harmless. So, read your recipes very carefully and don't experiment with mixing different ingredients unless you've done your research before hand. This page has a gazillion recipe ideas, but don't get carried away.

An Abstract for Annie B. Bond's book
Read the article, and if you like what you see, buy the book.

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