Tag: ecohome

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Eco Eats Featured

6 Easy Eco-Friendly Snack Ideas

Busy moms with hungry kids need snacks that are appealing and can be put together quickly. Eco-friendly snacks can be healthy and simple to make. The best eco-friendly snacks have minimal packaging. Since over-packaging of food is a major contributor to landfill waste, purchasing items in bulk will help reduce packaging.

Other ways to reduce landfill waste include choosing foods that come in recyclable packaging or that are made from recycled packaging. Sourcing and buying local foods is another factor in making snacks more eco-friendly. During the spring and summer months, farmer’s markets are an ideal place to find fresh, seasonal produce. While not every farmer is certified organic, many do follow organic practices, but choose not to be certified. Local eggs are also generally easy to find as there is an increased interest in raising chickens. Based on these considerations, here are six suggestions for healthy, eco-friendly snacks everyone will love.

Eggs. Eggs are a fantastic source of protein. Hard-boiled eggs will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator. Hard boiled eggs can be served whole or sliced. These eggs can also be turned into deviled eggs in under 15 minutes.

Meat & cheese Roll-Ups. Pre-packaged foods aimed at children often come in brightly colored boxes. The packaging for these products is excessive and the food is full of additives. Creating a plate of sliced cheeses and meats gives you control over the ingredients. Local, organic cheese and nitrate-free sliced meats make this option a hit with kids and parents.

Fruit & Yogurt Dip. Fresh, local fruit with a yogurt-based dip is a great choice in the summer and early fall months when fruit is abundant at farmer’s markets.

Veggies with Nut Butters. Carrots, bell peppers, celery and more go beautifully with nut butters. If nut allergies are a concern, seed butters can be substituted.

Nuts & Dried Fruit. Another nut based snack is chopped nuts with dried fruit. This treat delivers sweet, crunchy and salty flavors with every bite.

Snack Platter. Kids on the move need a variety of foods as well as high quality fats and nutrients. Arranging several of the above items on a tray provides kids with several tempting options. Uneaten foods from snack trays can be covered and placed in the refrigerator for future snacking.

When choosing eco-friendly snacks there are several questions to consider. Is it grown in a sustainable way? How far does it have to travel between growing and consumption? How much processing energy does it take to create? How much packaging does it have?

Many eco-friendly snacks can be made ahead which makes feeding busy families even easier. Homemade mozzarella, slow cooker applesauce and homemade yogurt may sound complicated and time consuming, but they are actually quite simple and yield far better flavor than store bought varieties. Families get busier every year, but just because families are busy, doesn’t mean healthy, eco-friendly foods need to be left behind.

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Eco Tips Featured Lawn & Garden

8 Non-Toxic Methods to Control Pests

Pest control is an important part of keeping a home safe, clean and comfortable. However, it’s also important to choose natural pest control methods that are safe for our health and the environment since people and pets can be sensitive to the harsh chemicals used in commercial sprays. The following eight suggestions for non-toxic pest control use natural means to effectively repel and eliminate problematic pests.

Power of Mint

Mint is an all-powerful pest repellent that can work in both the home and garden to eradicate unwanted insects. This method can easily be implemented by tossing a few mint tea bags anywhere that pests tend to visit. Mint works well against ants, weevils and can be used as a shampoo to deter lice. Place mint in cupboards, pantries and other kitchen areas to prevent kitchen pests.

Spray Vinegar

Vinegar is also a versatile pest control method that is natural and safe enough to be used around anyone. A spray bottle filled with equal parts of vinegar and water can be used to spray carpets to get rid of fleas. Additionally, vinegar can be used as part of the shampoo to eliminate fleas on pets.

Diatomaceous Earth

This pest control method is a powder consisting of finely ground rock that is formed from fossilized diatoms, a type of algae. Diatomaceous earth is safe and proven to be effective in homes and gardens for eliminating ants, cockroaches, bedbugs, fleas and slugs. It is also easy to use and can be sprinkled in areas of the home that can be hard to reach such as corners and behind furniture.

Borax and Sugar

Borax is a mineral salt that can be mixed with sugar to deter ants and other insects such as cockroaches. This mixture can be dissolved in water to make a solution that can be used to soak cotton balls. Then, the cotton balls can be placed near areas of the home that insects use for access such as windows and beneath doors.

Apply Heat

Many common pests can be destroyed with heat. Bedbugs, dust mites and head lice can be controlled by washing and drying bedding, clothing and other washable fabrics in the hottest water available. Boiling water can also be poured into ant beds to eliminate the pests at their source.

Citrus Control

Citrus scents are a wonderful way to deodorize the home, yet citrus fruits also contain chemical properties that are repelling to pests. Orange peels can be boiled in water to create a solution that can then be used on a dog’s fur to eliminate fleas. This same solution can be sprayed on carpets and upholstery. Spraying lemon juice at the point-of-entry to a home for ants is an effective repellent as the ants will not cross over the lemon.

Soapy Water

Simple soap and water can be used safely in a variety of areas of the home to repel pests. This solution makes an ideal cockroach and ant spray. When placed in a shallow dish, soapy water left on the floor can also trap and kill fleas.

Bait and Trap

There are many effective natural ways to trap pests. A bottle of fruit juice or wine can entice fruit flies and gnats into a container. A basic type of flypaper can be made by covering wax paper in a mixture of corn syrup and sugar. Generally, a combination of repellents and traps will be effective for eliminating most pets.

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Featured Green Building

Why Use a LEED Certified Builder?

Whether you are building a brand new structure or having work done on your existing home, if you’re an eco-conscious homeowner, you should consider pursuing LEED certification. This involves two aspects of your project: hiring a LEED certified builder and having the structure itself certified.

What is LEED certification?

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is a rating system created by the USGBC (US Green Build Council) to help business and residential builders and building owners create and maintain more sustainable properties. There are two types of LEED certification for structures: standard LEED certification and LEED for Homes certification. The LEED for Homes guidelines lay out how efficient residential structures need to be to be LEED certified, while the general LEED guidelines refer to commercial structures.

The Advantages

LEED certification for your home comes with many advantages. Part of getting the certification involves making a home that is healthier. This is due to the requirements involving air quality, sunlight exposure and more harmonious views.

LEED certification also requires water and energy efficiency. This makes your home more eco-friendly. It also reduces your costs, as reduced water and energy usage translates into lower monthly costs for those utilities.

But this isn’t the only way it can save you money. Indeed, homes that are LEED certified also have higher resale values. This makes your home more valuable should you choose to sell it.

LEED Professional Credentials

But it isn’t just structures that can be LEED certified. Builders can also be certified. That is, their work has been evaluated by experts and rated based on how many of the designated areas they have hit, and how well. Builders with this credential have been acknowledged for their innovation and awareness of green building techniques and processes.

Getting LEED Certified

You can use the LEED for Homes Green Rater to determine how efficient your home already is. To get certified, you’ll need to register your project with USGBC and have your project evaluated by a professional LEED for Homes Green Rater. You’ll also need to have your home rated by a Home Energy Rating System Rater.

You can find a map of LEED for Homes providers on the USGBC website, www.usgbc.org. If there are no providers in your immediate vicinity, don’t worry. You can contact any of the providers listed and seek their aid.

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Eco Tips Featured Uncategorized

How To Green Your Beauty Routine

Cosmetic companies are making it easier for consumers to recycle empty beauty containers. Before you throw out that empty container of foundation or bottle of moisturizer, check with your favorite cosmetic company to see if they have a recycling program. The following companies accept used beauty containers in exchange for free product:

Origins. The Origins recycling program allows you to return your empty products to their stores (any brand), and then they take care of shipping the containers off to the proper recycling facility. For every container returned, Origins will offer you a free product sample of your choice.

Kiehl’s. Return your empty Kiehl’s product containers to accumulate stamps for freebies like lip balm or travel sized products.

MAC Cosmetics. By returning six MAC packaging containers to a MAC counter or MAC online, you’ll receive a free lipstick of your choice.

Aveda. Aveda’s cap recycling program accepts caps that are rigid plastic (usually noted with a 5 in the chasing arrows recycling symbol). Caps that twist on with a threaded neck such as those on shampoo, water, soda, milk and other beverage bottles and pharmaceutical lids, flip top caps on tubes and food product bottles, laundry detergents and some jar lids such as peanut butter.

Garnier. Garnier has partnered with a recycling program called TerraCycle. Sign up online at terracycle.net to receive mailing labels and collection materials to shop your used items (regardless of brand) to be recycled.

Make yourself and the world more beautiful by supporting eco-conscious brands.

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Eco Tips Featured

Avoid These 3 Holiday Eco Disasters

With all the hustle and bustle surrounding the holidays, it can be easy to forget about maintaining an eco-friendly home environment. There are lights to string up, trees to trim, fireplaces to be decorated, and tables to set. When purchasing new holiday decor or unpacking the old, be mindful of potentially harmful products or plants. Here are three potential eco disasters to avoid this season:

Lead Wick Candles. About forty percent of candles on the market contain lead wires inside their wicks. Most often these are scented candles, which are used more heavily around the holidays. A candle with a lead-core wick releases five times the amount of lead considered hazardous for children and exceeds EPA pollution standards for outdoor air. If you use candles, look for those made from beeswax or soy. You can also purchase LED candles that can be reused.

Mistletoe and Holly. Mistletoe and holly are toxic to both pets and humans, so opt for silk substitutes that can then be reused year after year. Just be sure to steer clear of faux decor that is made of PVC and may release harmful dioxins into the air.

Electricity Wasting Tree Lights. Burning and breaking lights are fire hazards and waste electricity. Use less electricity and avoid having to deal with burning or breaking lights by purchasing LED tree lights. With the new warm LED colors on the market at lower prices, LED holiday lights give incandescent lights some good eco-friendly competition.

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Eco Tips Featured

Why You Should Use a Green Dry Cleaner

To avoid the additional toxic load on the environment and on your body, find a green cleaner that does not use perc in their cleaning processes. Perchloroethylene (or perc) is a clear, colorless solvent that is used by most dry cleaners because it removes stains and dirt from common types of fabrics. The bad news is that perc is also a toxic chemical tied to both human health and environmental concerns. Perc can pollute the air, water or ground during the various phases of the dry cleaning process.

Take the time to find a professional green dry cleaner that acts responsibly toward the environment. Most experienced dry cleaners are familiar with perc-related health or environmental issues.

Here are some specific actions you can take to minimize the impact on your health and our environment:

  • Know what you are paying for. Learn about the different cleaning processes and options that are available to you.
  • Ask about the cleaning methods used. This includes safety and maintenance practices, and how she/he handles her/his solvent waste streams.
  • Bring clothes to a professional cleaner who follows safety requirements. Also check to be sure the cleaner properly maintains the cleaning equipment.
  • Consider the wet cleaning process as an option. Ask your cleaner if they are familiar with the wet cleaning process and consider having clothes wet cleaned instead.
  • Give your cleaner information on how the clothes were soiled. Provide the fabric content information off of the care labels and point out any stains in advance.
  • If you smell solvent when you enter a cleaning shop, go somewhere else.
  • Ask to have the clothes re-processed if there is a solvent odor. If you think the solvent was not effectively removed, or if the newly dry cleaned clothes have a strong odor, ask your cleaner to re-process your order or take them to another cleaner.

Source:  EPA.gov, Frequently Asked Questions About Dry Cleaning

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Eco Tips Featured

Simple Ways to Make the Holidays Greener

According to Robert Lilienfeld of the ULS Report, Americans dispose of 25% more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s over any other time of the year. Make some slight holiday modifications to help ease the effects of the holidays on our planet.

Holiday Cards. Send e-cards versus traditional paper cards. If you are absolutely set on paper cards, buy cards that are made from recycled card stock.

Conscious Presents. Put thought into what family or friends really want or need. Try to avoid giving a gift will result in more clutter  or waste. Instead, send in a donation to a friend or family member’s favorite charity or use WorldVision.com to give a unique gift of clean water, a fishing kit, or goat to a family in a developing country.

Gift Wrap. Recycled gift bags, magazine pages with holiday themes or the comic pages from the newspaper are all good ways to be eco-conscious when wrapping a gift. Top the gift off with raffia or a cloth ribbon that can also be reused by the receiver.

Holiday Wreaths & Trees. Call your local recycling center to get a list of free tree and wreath drop-off locations. These centers will usually shred your holiday greens for use as mulch. Tree mulch can then be used as an erosion barrier for lake and river shoreline management or as soft bedding for parks and playgrounds.

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Articles Featured Gadgets & Gear

Saving Money with Power Strips

Guess what? If your electronics are plugged in, they are leaching electricity … even if they are turned off. This is referred to as “phantom load” and it accounts for nearly 20% of all electricity that is used in your home. What a waste, right?

You can eliminate “phantom load” and go greener by plugging most of your appliances into a power strip. A power strip will halt the energy drain as long as the switch on the strip is in the “off” position. Flip the power strip switch to “off” or unplug as many appliances as possible before going on vacations or leaving home for long periods of time.

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Articles Home Decor

4 Ways to Create a Home Spa Atmosphere

A spa environment is synonymous with the feeling of peace and tranquility. By adding just a few accents, it can be easy to create a spa environment in your own home that can have a calming effect on the mind and body.

Use Calming Colors. Use cool, calming color palettes like blue, shades of light green, white or lavender.

Add a Dish of Pebbles or Crystals. Place a bowl of pebbles or dish or crystals in the bathroom or bedroom as a reminder of nature’s endurance and strength.

Use Essential Oils. Scent the room with a diffuser made of natural essential oils such as lavender, almond or sage.

Buy Non-Toxic Soy Candles. Add blue, purple or white candles to a room and create a calming environment for meditation. Candles, plants and essential oils all contribute to a more relaxing, healing atmosphere.

Soothing Sounds. Play a CD or download tracks of the sounds in nature, classical or harp music to bring soothing music into your home and create a spa-like environment.

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Featured Lawn & Garden

Which Plants Are Easiest to Care For?

Indoor plants not only add to the décor, but also foster a fresh and energizing atmosphere if kept healthy. In addition, plants can help counterbalance the effects of humidity and electrical radiation. 

The challenge, especially if you lead a busy lifestyle, is proper care and tending. You can get creative with plants by placing them in an unused fireplace or atop high kitchen shelves and ledges.

Below is a list of three low maintenance indoor plants that you can easily incorporate into your eco-friendly living space.

Christmas Cactus. The Christmas cactus can handle low light and infrequent watering.

Pothos. One of the easiest houseplants to grow. The Pothos is tolerant of almost any lighting environment and almost impossible to kill.

Mother-In-Law’s Tongue. Long living plants with sharp pointy leaves that require infrequent watering.