When it comes to cutting boards many folks have those icky old plastic cutting boards laying around. These plastic monsters are made with non-renewable resources and it can be tough to find a recycling center who takes them; especially if you’ve got no clue about the type of plastic it’s made with.

Totally Bamboo Cutting Board Set
A better, more eco-friendly choice is wood. However, with wooden cutting boards often comes the safety concerns. Is is safe? Will bacteria settle down into the board? How can you safely clean it? Plastic doesn’t mean safer though – studies show that wood and plastic …read more

There are tons of ways to green all the rooms of your home. However, if you want to start small that’s totally fine. You can take one useful green task and incorporate it into each area of your home. All of these tasks will add up to a larger whole without you feeling overwhelmed.

In the nursery – paint the walls with non-toxic, low VOC baby safe paints.
In the bathroom – Quit buying new plastic containers of soap. Get a reusable, refillable hand soap pump and refill it with bulk soap when necessary.
In the dining room – Stop with the paper …read more

Ovens are not actually a high energy use appliance in most homes. For example a fridge, your dryer, the AC all use more energy but that doesn’t mean you can’t save some energy all around, right?! To save more energy when using your overn do the following:

Don’t use it at all. Microwaves cook faster while using less energy than an oven. When you can use the microwave.
Keep the door shut while food is cooking. Each time you open the door to peek at that cake, the oven releases energy.
Clean your oven regularly. A dirty oven is less efficient.
Turn it off …read more

Mothballs seem harmless enough but in reality are pretty darn toxic. Naphthalene, the main pesticide in mothballs can cause adverse effects on the structural integrity of the red blood cell membrane, body weight gain, chronic inflammation of the lungs, liver changes, and more following exposure. In fact the back of a box of mothballs will note that you should be extremely careful – avoid skin contact and avoiding any vapors from said mothballs in your living area.
Now, why would you have these in your home; around clothes and other textiles you use? Good question? To avoid musty clothes and pests …read more

Seventh Generation recently sent me a load of eco-products to test out. Of course I’ll be posting some reviews soon, but first we should take a look at the company as a whole, plus their eco-perks.

BASICS:
Seventh Generation is arguably one of the most well-known green companies around. They were one of the first self-declared “socially responsible” companies and have been around for 20 years. The company makes a slew of products, some that are very green and some that could be greener, but all in all, they offer some great product choices for green households in various categories…

Laundry Products
Dishwashing …read more

It’s super hard to find green furniture on a budget. Trust me, I’ve been sofa and bed shopping as of late and finding something eco-friendly and somewhat affordable has been a nightmare. There are a few things you can do to get greener furniture for less though, such as…

Go used: Used furniture is mostly green furniture because it does save stuff from a landfill AND cuts out manufacturing energy and resources used. There are some downsides. Older pieces may be coated with toxic finishes and paints or be covered with non-organic, non-sustainable fabrics. The upside is you can change many …read more

In Green Cleaners Aren’t Worth That Much, I noted that I’d be back with some safer, greener options to conventional, toxic, store-bought cleaners.
Basically, you’ve got three eco-friendly options:

Make your own natural, non-toxic cleaners.
Buy natural, non-toxic cleaners.
Don’t clean.

I know, don’t clean really isn’t a great option; just making sure you’re awake.

If you’re going to buy green cleaners, one, expect to pay more than you’d pay for conventional toxic cleaners (in most cases), and two, don’t be swayed by greenwashing companies if your goal is a better green lifestyle. For example, Clorox Greenworks is in truth, a safe non-toxic cleaner, BUT there …read more

If your home has never had an energy audit, you could be using far more energy than necessary and losing money. It’s super easy to schedule an energy audit, doesn’t cost much, and there are even some you can do yourself.

If you’ve got the time and drive, learn how to conduct your own home energy audit by visiting the Home Energy Saver website. First gather your energy bills and then head to the site. At this site, you’ll enter your zip code and a comparison of the energy costs (in $/year) of an average home and an energy-efficient home in …read more

If you’re looking to create a more sustainable kitchen then there are some must have green kitchen tools and eco-gear you’ll need.

1. Decent vegetarian cookbook: A diet with less meat is important if your goal is green living. Meat can take a toll on the environment and your body. You don’t need to go totally vegetarian or vegan, but you should incorporate a few meatless meals a week. My favorite veggie cookbook (which actually has some fish in it, so it’s not totally veggie) is Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites. The recipes don’t taste low-fat at all. In fact, the entire …read more

It’s healthy and smart to clean green. You can make your own cleaners with non-toxic ingredients or purchase safer ready-made cleaners. There’s more to it of course because you need some tools to go with those cleaners.

TWIST cleaning products
Bad, anti-eco cleaning tools:

Most sponges
Clean and toss (non-recyclable) disposables like Swiffer products
Paper towels

Better, eco-friendly cleaning tools:

Loofahs
Reusable cloths – you can buy packs of washcloths, use old cloth diapers, or cut up old clothing. Thrift stores are an especially good place to find old cleaning cloths.
Twist Cleaning Kit
Eco-sponge and sponge with walnut scrubber
Microfiber sponge mitts
Fight stains with the sun!
O-Cedar Brooms …read more