Author: Ginny Green

7 Reasons To Care About The Environment

Post author By Ginny Green
Post date May 1, 2015
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There are as many reasons to take care of the Earth as there are people living in it. We all know that, of course. But sometimes we forget the actual impact we have in the world. And since a picture is worth a thousand words, here are some very tangible reasons to care about the environment.

1. The Maldives

The Maldives are probably the most vulnerable populated area when it comes to global warming. Rising sea levels threaten this little islands and eating away their land. Some very bleak predictions estimate that the Maldives will disappear below sea level in less than fifty years. People are already emigrating in preparation of losing their home.

2. Java, Indonesia

This is the world’s most populated island and as such, the world’s most polluted one. People produce so much trash and waste that it completely surrounds the island and it’s not even possible to practice water sports without a wave of pollution taking the fun out of it.

3. Accra, Ghana

Electronic waste is growing every day and we don’t even notice it. We’ve become accustomed to changing our computers fairly frequently as they develop faster and cheaper. But the other side of the coin is landfills all around the world filling up with our electronic waste. Nothing wrong with a new computer, we just need to learn to recycle the old ones.

4. Willamette National Forest

Only less than 1% of Willamette forest in Oregon, US remains intact. Most of it was cut down for agriculture and urbanization and the rest was lost to fires. Forests like this take multiple generations to grow, and now it’s not likely that we will ever get back even a fraction of what was lost.

5. The Amazon, Brazil

This rainforest is considered by many as the lung of the world. It plays a key role in the production of oxygen and climate regulation all around the world. And yet, every year we are losing a bigger part of it. Companies want to cut it down for farming land, urbanization and mining, and local governments are doing little to stop them.

6. Ken River, California

This is what an oil field that has been active since 1899 looks like. Drilling for oil has devastating consequences for the local environment that won’t just go away once we stop. And this is on top of all the other evils of fossil fuels we are so familiar with, like increasing emissions of greenhouse gasses.

7. Svalbard, Norway

The increase in temperatures because of greenhouse gases causes glaciers around the world to melt at an accelerated pace. This introduces large amounts of fresh water into the oceans, causing shifts in currents and climate. And, of course, a rise in sea level, which affects land close to the water, such as The Maldives.

Tags ecohome, ecology, environment, global warming, recycling

Articles Eco Tips Featured

Wearable Planters Let You Take Nature Wherever You Go

Post author By Ginny Green
Post date April 28, 2015
No Comments on Wearable Planters Let You Take Nature Wherever You Go

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You have your garden, you have your house plants. Maybe you have floral arrangements everywhere in your home. But do you ever feel like you want more? Do you love your plants so much that you wish you could take them out for a walk some times? Because even if you don’t, you might change your mind after you see this artist’s work.

Colleen Jordan, a designer and artist based in Atlanta has created Wearable Planters, a truly unique fashion statement that combines jewelery and plants. Basically, you can now wear your garden. In style.

She creates every planter by 3D printing. They are all made out of nylon and dyed by hand, to later be sealed with acrylic varnish, so they are weather-proofed and keep their vibrant hues over time.

The planters are also designed with a flat bottom, so you can take them off and decorate your desk or your table with them. They actually are the tiniest, most adorable flower pots in the world.

But still, the most interesting thing about these little planters is that they are basically living, breathing jewelery. And you get to grow the plants yourself.

Every planter comes with its own seeds and thorough instructions to grow the tiny plant in it. And you don’t even need a green thumb, the creator says it takes no effort to grow the little guys. They can’t ship them with the plants ready to wear, as that could get them sick.

On her Etsy page and on her website, you can browse and buy Colleen’s beautiful designs. You’ll find necklaces, lapel pins, brooches, rings, and even decorations for your bike.

Carrying a little plant around your neck is not only a truly unique fashion statement. It can also be a nice way to be in contact with nature, even as you go around your city life. They are a reminder that the world is a better place when we take the time to take care of it. And even if that wasn’t the case, at least wearing plants is an excellent conversation starter. Plants bring us happiness, after all.

Tags colleen jordan, eco fashion, ecohome, flowers, jewelery, plants, wearable planters

Home Improvement

Improve Your Home On The Cheap With These DIY Projects

Post author By Ginny Green
Post date April 24, 2015
No Comments on Improve Your Home On The Cheap With These DIY Projects

If you are thinking about improving your home but are not particularly keen on paying ridiculous amounts of money to do so, you probably thought about doing it yourself. And you can, with these cheap and easy DIY projects, your home will look and feel so much better, without breaking the bank.

1. Create wainscoting with cheap frames. Instead of paying all the money for it, go to your favorite craft store and buy basic, cheap frames. Secure them to the wall to create that classic pattern and then paint them to match. Your living room will look so much classier and your guests will be none the wiser.

2. Peel-and-stick tiles hide water stains. If your bathroom or kitchen cabinet has leaked for any amount of time, chances are, there are water stains on the cabinet bottom. Instead of removing the bottom or sighing every time you open the doors, cover the water damage with peel and stick tiles. They are incredibly easy to install, they will make the whole thing look better, and nobody inspects your cabinet bottoms close enough to determine they are peel and stick tiles.

3. Hopelessly moldy shower? Re-grout and Re-caulk it. We are all fans of homemade cleaning products and other hacks to remove mold from the shower, but some times not even all the vinegar in the world can fix it. You have to address the root of the problem. Removing all the caulk and grout from your shower tiles is not a difficult process, it’s just time consuming. After you do that, clean well with a bleach solution, let it dry for 24 hours and apply new grout and caulk. Make sure you look for a brand specifically made for bathrooms, as it will be mold-resistant. Just remember, when in doubt, look up YouTube videos to really get the technique down.

4. Don’t throw out the old, tired armchair and sofa, just re-stuff the cushions. Instead of buying a new armchair and sofa, renew them with more stuffing. Perk up the cushions and get rid of the sagging look on the cheap by simply buying new stuffing. It won’t only look better, it will also feel more comfortable as well.

5. Stop your shoes from ruining your floors. If you have carpet or wood floors, you know shoes are your greatest enemies. Snow, rain, dirt, all of that takes its toll. And it doesn’t matter if you force everyone to remove their shoes as soon as they come in, because the floor near the door will still get ruined. Fix this with a simple pebble tray. It’s extremely cheap, all you need is pebbles and a tray. Put it near the door, and leave soaking wet shoes there. It looks nice, it’s practical and it costs almost nothing.

Tags cheap projects, decor tips, diy, ecohome, hacks, home improvement

Articles Eco Tips Recycling

Five Green Sins We Are All Guilty Of (And How To Avoid Them)

Post author By Ginny Green
Post date April 21, 2015
No Comments on Five Green Sins We Are All Guilty Of (And How To Avoid Them)

If you are reading this, you probably care about the environment. But even if you do make an effort to reduce your carbon footprint and live a green life, you are human and there are some not-so-green habits that are hard to change. Instead of feeling guilty, follow these tips to stop repeating the same green sins.

1. “Bottled water is so convenient!”

We all know plastic bottles are bad. They use a lot of energy when created, they fill up landfills, they take forever to break down… Plastic bottles are bad. And yet, the convenience of being able to buy a bottle of water whenever you are thirsty is hard to give up. The only way to change it is with a reusable bottle. Find one that is made out of stainless steel or BPA-free plastic. They come in many different sizes, so you can find one that fits your needs. And if you don’t like the hassle of cleaning, find one with a wide mouth, that will make clean up easier. Get in the habit of carrying your bottle around and using it instead of plastic cups.

2. “Energy-saving bulbs are so ugly”

Compact fluorescent bulbs save an incredible amount of energy. Trading some of your incandescent for fluorescent bulbs can prevent the emission of 400 pounds of greenhouse gases. That’s nothing to scoff at, and yet fluorescent light can be so depressing. The good news is that not all bulbs are created equal, so you just have to shop around to find the shape, size, color and brightness that works best for you.

3. “I know batteries are bad, but it’s so much easier to throw them out”

Recycling batteries is one of those things where we can’t compromise. They are incredibly dangerous and contaminate absolutely everything. And yet, some times we all end up hiding a couple of batteries at the bottom of our trash bags. That’s bad. The good news is that recycling batteries is getting easier by the hour. Just Google recycling places near you and you’ll see that you can take your used batteries to a lot of places, including your favorite grocery store, and they will do the recycling for you. And, of course, invest in rechargeable batteries. They are recyclable too and they last so much longer.

4. “I can never bring myself to carry around a market tote”

Plastic bags are so wasteful, and carrying a reusable cloth grocery bag will prevent a lot of waste. But it’s so hard to remember to bring it whenever you go to the market. The solution is to buy a couple of totes you like and keep them in your car. If you don’t drive, buy those totes that fold up into tiny pockets and keep them in your purse or regular backpack. You will always have them with you, and you will barely notice they are there.

Tags eco friendly hacks, eco tips, ecohome, green life, green sins

Articles Home Decor Home Improvement

Turn Your Bathroom Into Your Favorite Place In The World

Post author By Ginny Green
Post date April 17, 2015
No Comments on Turn Your Bathroom Into Your Favorite Place In The World

When I’m at home, my bathroom is my sanctuary. I go there to clean and groom myself, to relax, to think and maybe play a little Angry Birds on my phone, (don’t judge.) The important thing is, you probably start and end your day in your bathroom, so it makes sense to try to make it as cozy and pretty as possible.

1. Read your To-Do list while brushing your teeth

Or while doing your make up and hair. Organize your day and go over your tasks just as you are waking up with a little dry-erase board for your bathroom counter. If you are confused about where to buy a tiny dry-erase board, you can make one with a photograph frame, a white sheet of paper and, of course, a dry-erase marker.

2. Make your shower feel bigger with a curved curtain bar

Showers are the actual best thing, it’s the one moment of your day when you can relax and let your thoughts wander while the hot water soothes your muscles. And they would be infinitely more relaxing if they were not as tiny and cramped as they usually are. The good news is that you don’t have to rear your bathroom down to enjoy a roomier shower. All you need is a curved curtain bar, that you can get for less than $20.

3. Ditch your big plastic bottles

If you are anything like me, your bathtub or shower is basically a graveyard for half-empty plastic bottles for shampoo, conditioning, lotion, bubble bath, body wash and more assorted goo. But this not only takes up a lot of space, it looks ugly and cramped too. To solve this, take your Starbucks frappuchino glass bottles, clean them out well and reuse them to store “portion sizes” of your bathroom products. You can keep your big bottles out of sight under the sink and your bathtub or shower will look cute and cleaner, which will put you in a great mood.

4. Bring a tiny spa inside your bathroom

This is one of those things that look super expensive and actually cost nothing. For a spa-like experience, reinvent your bathroom mat with ocean stones. All you need is a common rubber mat (with holes in it, to drain water), water-resistant glue and a lot of soft, round (and relatively flat) stones, like the ones you find on the beach. Glue them to your mat and feel the relaxing sensation of walking barefoot on the beach every time you get in or out of the shower.

5. Move your shower caddies under the sink

The shower is not the only place in your bathroom that needs organizing. And the cabinets under the sink are usually pure chaos. Get a couple of shower caddies and secure them to the walls, and you will always be able to find that one bottle you need.

Tags bathroom, decor, ecohome, tips

Eco Tips Lawn & Garden Recycling

Composting 101: Start A Compost Pile At Home

Post author By Ginny Green
Post date April 14, 2015
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Every house with a garden or a backyard should have its own compost pile. Why? Because organic materials make up 30 percent of what we throw away. If you compost them, we turn them into precious nutrients for your plants and vegetables. If you don’t, then they end up as trash and take up space in landfills, where they also release greenhouse gases.

Basically, composting is an essential way to reduce your carbon footprint significantly. Not only does it reduce methane emissions from landfills, it also enriches your soil, to help your plants grow stronger. You will need to use less chemical fertilizers (or none at all), and, since it suppresses plant diseases and pests, you will use less pesticides as well. So why isn’t everyone composting yet?

It’s not difficult to start your own compost pile at home. You already have all the ingredients, you just have to create a new routine, instead of throwing them away, you add them to your compost pile. Compost has three basic ingredients: Browns, which include branches, twigs and dead leaves. Greens, which include vegetable waste, fruit scraps, coffee grounds and grass clippings. And water, that will help break down the other materials and turn them into compost.

The first step is to select a dry, shady spot for your pile or bin. If you don’t have space outside, you can use an indoor compost bin that you can find in any hardware store. Don’t worry, a properly-made compost pile will not smell nor attract pests. If you decide to do an outdoor pile, place it on bare ground, so worms and other organisms can enter your pile and help it along.

The second step is to add to the pile. Try to keep an equal ratio of green and brown ingredients, and make sure your pile is always damp. However, keep in mind that there are ingredients you should never compost, such as oils, meat products, milk, eggs, manure from meat-eating animals and plant clippings that have been treated with chemicals or diseased.

Once you have your compost pile going, you’ll want to keep it covered to retain moisture. You should also turn the material every too weeks at least, to help speed up the decomposing process. Use a pitchfork, a shovel or any tool you think will help, and mix and invert your pile. If you consider it seems a little bit dry, you can spray it a bit with a hose as you are turning it, to keep your pile moist. When the material at the bottom is dark and rich in color, with a texture similar to soil, then it will be ready to use. The time it takes depends on the size of your pile and the materials you add but it usually takes from a couple of weeks to months.

Tags compost pile, ecohome, gardening, recycling

Articles Home Improvement

Speed Clean Your House With A New Strategy

Post author By Ginny Green
Post date April 7, 2015
No Comments on Speed Clean Your House With A New Strategy

In a survey I just made up, the amount of time the average person wants to spend cleaning their house is “zero”. It’s something we all have to do, but we end up pushing it until the last minute and then panic because we don’t have enough time. But that’s about to change. With the right strategy you will clean faster and finish right on time to host that dinner party tonight.

1. Don’t underestimate the soundtrack

It sounds silly, but listening to your favorite, preferably upbeat music will put you in a better mood and help you clean faster, with less pain.

2. Arm yourself with everything you need beforehand

You know what sucks? Going back-and-forth to the cleaning cabinet to get that one cleaning product you need now. Avoid this, get a basket and put all the cleaning products you think you’ll need (include gloves, sponges, tissues and vodka… trust me on this one), and carry it around while you clean.

3. Reconnaissance mission

Get an empty box or basket and a trash can, and walk through every room in your house, twice. As you walk the first time, put every item that doesn’t belong in that room in the basket, and throw the trash away. When you walk back, put every item in the basket in its rightful place.

4. I don’t have a clever title for doing the dishes

But you have to do them. Get them out of the way fast, especially if you are dreading this task. After you straightened everything in step three and you get a clean sink, your whole house will look so much cleaner immediately, which will motivate you to continue, because you are almost done.

5. Heavy duty weapons

If you have to vacuum, find the longest extension cord you have. It’s super simple, but it makes it so much easier. As long as you pay attention to where you are going and don’t entangle yourself, you won’t have to start and stop ten times and you’ll be done so much sooner.

6. Chemical warfare

Now is a good time to clean counters, tiles and similar surfaces. The top-secret, unexpected surface cleaner you have at home? Vodka. Or rubbing alcohol works as well, but with vodka you can have a motivational drink while you are cleaning. Get rid of greasy kitchen gunk and moldy bathroom muck, and shine your surfaces with the same product. Don’t worry about the smell, it will evaporate and dissipate quickly.

7. Victory!

You did it! Congratulations. Light a few candles (nice smells make everything feel extra clean) and have a celebratory screwdriver. You’ve earned it.

Tags cleaning, ecohome, homemade cleaning products, speed-cleaning, tips, tricks

Articles Home Decor Recycling

8 Smart Ways To Organize Your Life With Magazine Holders

Post author By Ginny Green
Post date April 3, 2015
No Comments on 8 Smart Ways To Organize Your Life With Magazine Holders

If you really want to have an eco-friendly house, then recycling is the way to go. But there are more ways to do that than separating glass from plastic when taking the trash out. Another big part of recycling is finding new life for common objects. Like magazine holders. Despite having an incredibly specific name, they can be used for more than just holding magazines. Organize your house (and your life), save space and impress your friends with your craftiness, all with the help of the humble magazine holder.

1. Organize your make-up

With the help of a cute, decorative magazine holder, instantly get rid of the chaos that seems to follow your make-up wherever it goes.

2. Organize your toilet paper

This is the last time you will find yourself in the toilet without toilet paper. Your rolls will be dry and always at reach so you can finally do your business in peace. Your guests will silently thank you too, since they will avoid the awkward “there’s no toilet paper how do I ask the host” dance.

3. Organize your clutter

Find a nice wooden magazine holder and secure it to the wall in an unused corner. Now you have a place to store all the tiny objects that clutter your desks and tables but somehow manage to get lost every time you need them.

4. Organize your cling wrap

And your tin foil, wax paper, etc. Instead of letting those boxes occupy space in your drawers, store them in a magazine holder in the inside of a cabinet door. This will save you space and time.

5. Organize your mail

Secure a magazine holder (or several) to your wall and file all your mail, bills, important and unimportant documents, and every other piece of paper that always ends up getting lost when you need it.

6. Organize your produce

Keep your onions, potatoes and other non-refrigerated produce from rolling away with a couple of well-placed magazine holders. You will keep your counters and cabinet clean, and you will always know when you need to buy more produce.

7. Organize your curling irons

Hair styling requires a whole lot of products and appliances (at least, if you are like me it does). Keep your hot irons safely stored, secured and organized with a decorative magazine holder. This will also prevent all the cords from tangling, which will prolong their lifespan and save you time in the mornings.

8. Organize your cutting boards

Secure a magazine holder to the inside of a kitchen cabinet and keep your cutting boards dry, organized and always at reach. This will help you save space in your kitchen, reduce all the clutter and make your cooking a lot easier.

Tags diy, ecohome, home decor, magazine holder, organizing, recycling, save space

Articles Eco Tips

Clean Food: Produce Free of Pesticides

Post author By Ginny Green
Post date March 31, 2015
No Comments on Clean Food: Produce Free of Pesticides

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Not all of us can afford organic produce. Sure, it’s healthy, clean and a better choice over mass-farmed vegetables, but it’s also more expensive. And as much as we’d love to eat exclusively locally sourced, ethically farmed, organic produce straight from the farmers’ market, sometimes Walmart’s produce section will have to do. Luckily, we can still avoid pesticides by choosing the right ingredients.

The Environmental Working Group releases a report every year on the state of organic produce and food in America. The paper examines the pesticide content in more than 48 food items, both locally produced and imported. But even if the report goes well into detail, people usually just pay attention to its two master lists. The “Dirty Dozen”, that recounts the twelve more contaminated products, and the “Clean Fifteen”, with the fifteen items with less pesticides. These lists are a great guide to eat healthy on a budget. If you can’t afford to buy all your produce organic, you are better off splurging on the products that normally carry more pesticide content.

The Dirty Dozen

Let’s start with the vegetables you want to avoid unless you know their source. The EWG found traces of pesticides in two thirds of all produce, but who are the worst offenders? Apples. Innocent, delicious apples tested positive for agrochemicals in 99% of the samples. They were closely followed by 98% of peaches and 97% of nectarines. Samples of grapes and bell peppers showed traces of 15 different pesticides each, while potatoes had more pesticides by weight than any other vegetable. The list is completed by strawberries, celery, spinach, cherry tomatoes, imported snap peas and cucumbers.

While not in the traditional dirty dozen list, the EWG found several leafy greens like kale and hot peppers tested positive for extremely harmful insecticides. They do not have a high enough concentration of pesticides to be on the list, but the toxicity of the chemicals pushed the EWG to recommend buying organic as well.

The Clean Fifteen

On the flip-side, avocados proved to be the cleanest product, showing detectable pesticides in only 1% of the samples. More clean produce includes 89% of pineapples, 88% of mango 82% of kiwi, 80% of papayas and 61% of cantaloupe, that showed no residues of agrochemicals. If you want to stock up your pantry, you should also look for sweet corn, cabbage, frozen sweet peas, asparagus, onions, grapefruit, cauliflower, sweet potatoes and eggplant.

If you want to eat cleaner and healthier every day, your grocery shopping has to change. Try to buy your produce from different sources, which will limit your exposure to a single pesticide. Besides, if you try to buy seasonal veggies from local markets, you are guaranteed to get fresher produce with less chemicals. Once you get home, remember to always wash your fruits and veggies thoroughly and, if you are not buying organic leafy greens, it is best to cook them for consumption.

Tags ecohome, food, health, organic produce, pesticides

Articles Eco Eats

Use 3 Ingredients Already In Your Kitchen To Detox And Energize Your Day

Post author By Ginny Green
Post date March 28, 2015
No Comments on Use 3 Ingredients Already In Your Kitchen To Detox And Energize Your Day

We all know the importance of a good, healthy breakfast to start the day right, but who has the time to make elaborated breakfast every day? Not me. And probably, not you either. Luckily, there’s a very easy, extremely effective recipe you can try. All you need is a blender and a few ingredients you already have in your kitchen to make the perfect breakfast smoothie.

What you’ll need:

4 Apples
1 Lemon, peeled
1 Tablespoon grated ginger

Instructions:

Cut the apples and the lemon into medium-small pieces
Put them in a blender or a juicer with the grated ginger and mix them until you have a smooth consistency.
That’s it.

I told you it was easy. If you want, you can add a few fresh mint leaves or a spoonful of honey for a little extra flavor, but that’s up to you. You can drink one cup of this delicious smoothie over breakfast every day to improve your digestion, flush toxins, increase your energy levels and even help you with weight loss.

How does it work?

The three main ingredients of this power-smoothie have been proving time and time again to provide a lot of health benefits when consumed regularly. Lemons, for example, is a natural antiseptic that can be used to treat throat infections and respiratory disorders. It has also been linked to a lower blood pressure and a better blood vessel function, and it is thought to even help with weight loss. But that’s not all, because lemon, like all citric fruits, is filled to the brim with delicious Vitamin C. This means that lemon will help you boost your immune system like no other. And on top of all this, lemon is deliciously refreshing, not a bad way to start the day, huh?

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, as my grandma used to say. Apples are delicious and provide natural sweetness to this drink, but that’s not all they do. They are easy to digest, high in fiber and low on calories, which makes them great if you are trying to lose weight or decrease the bad cholesterol in your bloodstream. Besides, they are packed with antioxidants, which will really improve your cardiovascular health and reduce risk of stroke and respiratory diseases. If that’s not good enough for you, apples are linked to reduced risk of cancer. How do you like them apples?

Finally, ginger is widely known to soothe digestive problems. It’s not a coincidence that your mom made you drink Ginger Ale whenever you had an upset stomach. This delicious root reduces nausea, dizziness and regulates your digestive tract. But that’s not all, because there is some research that shows taking ginger regularly can reduce joint pain caused by arthritis and improve mobility. On the other hand, there are some studies that link regular ginger consumption with reduced menstrual pains for more than 60% of women, that’s about the same as ibuprofen, but completely natural.

So there you have it. A three-ingredient smoothie that can supercharge you for the rest of the day and keep you healthy in the long run.

Tags breakfast, eco eats, food, health