The Critter Journal Part 2: EcoSmart Product Review

Day 25

I received a sample pack of EcoSmart environmentally friendly insect control products today in the mail!!

EcoSmart products are Home Pest Control, Ant & Roach Killer, Insect Repellent, and Flying Insect Killer.

Seriously, great timing, as the ants have now split into separate colonies: one in the family room and one in kitchen. I have also noticed a small group of pioneer ants near my front door.

I sorted the products and realized I had two products to use on the ants. I will hit them with a double whammy.

Day 26



The first product I tried was for both indoor and outdoor use. Glory day! It is called EcoSmart Organic Home Pest Control for indoor and outdoor use. It is non-toxic, safe around kids and pets. It kills and repeals over 100 home invading pests. Definitely what I need.

I sprayed it along a baseboard in my family room, as well as along the outside of the house in that same spot. It is a pump spray bottle. In the house, I think I may have sprayed a bit much, as it pooled a bit on the floor. So, I just dabbed it with a paper towel.

I immediately noticed a strong odor, something like rosemary, but a little sweeter. Even though I am oversensitive to odors, this was actually not bad. However, it did permeate the first floor, so I decided to let that dissipate a bit before using the other product, EcoSmart Organic Insecticide Ant & Roach Killer.

Day 27

I refuse to access the ant count today as I am still in the middle of my EcoSmart application.



Today I used EcoSmart Organic Insecticide Ant & Roach Killer. It non-toxic, plant based and safe around kids and pets. The can also says it is water based and university tested.

It is an aerosol can and was a bit easier to apply. I used it inside only in the kitchen and by the front door. This odor was much stronger and very cinnamon-y. It really made the house smell good, but since it was so strong, I opened all the windows and we all went outside for awhile.

Day 28

The odors are completely gone and guess what? Zero ant sightings! Zero! After fighting with them for the last four weeks using every homemade concoction I could think of, here I used EcoSmart for two days the problem seems to be solved. Wow!

Update: Day 42

It's been two weeks since the application of EcoSmart and still no ants!! I am planning on using EcoSmart Organic Home Pest Control on the whole perimeter of my house now and again in the spring.

I have plans for the rest of their products, too:




EcoSmart Organic Insect Repellent is DEET free, non-toxic and keeps away mosquitoes, ticks, and gnats. I am really excited about this and plan on using this on our campfire night, which is always a mosquito fest.

EcoSmart Organic Insecticide Flying Insect Killer is safe around kids and pets and is a plant based insecticide. I am beginning to notice bees randomly flying around my backyard since my neighbors bleached (yes, bleached) their ground hives. I wonder if they are looking for a new home. The Flying Insect Killer will definitely come in handy.

Finally there is EcoSmart Organic Garden Insect Killer. It is also safe around kids and pets. Ut us non-toxic and environmentally safe. It can be used on fruits,vegetables, flowers, ornamentals, trees and shrubs. I plan on using this on my roses next year, as something beetle-ish ate all the petals! I also plan on using it on my one tomato plant next season. It didn't do too well and I'm thinkin' it was infiltrated.

Negatives
So far, I am loving what I am seeing. I did have some minor issue with the smell and wonder if, in the winter, I might need to spray this before we leave for the day.

Since I am particular (some would say anal), I did web searches on all the ingredients in these products that I didn't recognize. I found them to be listed as either pesticide-free or EPA certified safe for use around food and people.

I do think it might be better if some of the products were available in both aerosol and spray bottles so people could just pick what they wanted.


Who Should Buy this Product?

Anyone who needs fast relief from pests. I think I would recommend this product to the environmentally conscious and the non-believers alike. It seems to be that effective that there is nothing to give up here.

Come back tomorrow for a chance to win the EcoSmart Product of your choice!!

The Girl who Silenced the world for 5 Minutes

This is an especially moving video of a 13 year old girl, pleading with the UN for our environment.

Important Facts You Never Knew about Asbestos

The following is a Guest Post from Barbara O'Brien, of The MahaBlog, Crooks and Liars, and Alternet:

“Is There Asbestos in My Home?”

The short answer to the question, “Is there asbestos in my home?” is “Yes, probably.” How much, where, and whether you should worry, depends mostly on when your home was built and what condition it is in.

In the U.S., if your home was built after the mid-1990s there might be asbestos in roof shingles, floor tiles, cement pipes and boards, caulking compounds, and joint cements. However, this is not necessarily something to worry about.

Asbestos is a mineral that breaks into small fibers. The fibers are dangerous to breathe, because if they settle in the lungs they can cause mesothelioma, a deadly lung cancer, and asbestosis, a debilitating disease that interferes with breathing. You should also avoid ingesting asbestos. However, as long as the asbestos fibers are encased in something so that the fibers can’t be breathed, or get into your water — generally the case with newer construction materials — you can safely leave it where it is.

ktheory

Insulation in Home Built Before the mid-1990s

Homes built between 1920 and 1950 may have asbestos insulation. Also, be aware that homes built after 1950, and possibly as recently as the mid-1990s, may contain an insulation called Zonolite made of vermiculite contaminated with asbestos. The vermiculite came from a mine in Libby, Montana, a community so contaminated with asbestos the EPA recently declared Libby to be a public health disaster.

As long as the insulation is enclosed in a wall where fibers cannot escape, it is not hazardous. However, if walls are damaged, or if your remodeling plans involve cutting into a wall, you must arrange for state-certified asbestos abatement specialists to deal with the insulation. They may either remove it or find some way to contain it. But do not handle the insulation yourself.

Asbestos in Homes Built Before 1980

Here are just some of the other places you might find asbestos in an older home:

• Shingles and walls. From the 1920s and until 1978 asbestos cement shingles were a popular choice for housing exteriors. Also until the 1970s, cement sheet, millboard, and paper with a high asbestos content were used around fireplaces and wood burning stoves. Cutting or drilling these materials can release asbestos fibers into the air you breathe.

• Soundproofing. Until the 1970s, soundproofing material containing asbestos was sprayed on walls and ceilings. Asbestos also was used in textured paint and patching compounds until 1977. The asbestos in these applications can become loose and release asbestos into the air, if they haven’t already.

• Hot water and steam pipes. These may be coated with asbestos or wrapped with asbestos tape.

• Oil and coal furnaces and door gaskets. Replacing an old basement furnace in your home can create an asbestos hazard.

vinzcha

Inspection and Abatement

At this point, you may be worried about the cracks, chips, and flaking in your older home. It cannot be stressed enough that if asbestos really is present, you need professional help to deal with it. Deal only with asbestos inspectors and asbestos abatement contractors that are licensed by your state.

The first step is assessing whether there really is an asbestos danger in your home. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends that you hire an inspector who is independent from any abatement contractor you might use to avoid a conflict of interest.

Even if there is asbestos in your home, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to have it all removed immediately. If the asbestos is in a place where it won’t get into the air or water, it may be left alone. But be aware that renovations or damage to your home might release the asbestos, and then you must call in an asbestos abatement contractor. Don’t try to deal with it yourself.

-Barbara O’ Brien

geocaching, cheap fun or waste of gas?

respres

I recently had my first taste of a geocaching adventure. We looked up coordinates on the Internet, piled into the car and got down to "treasure hunting".

After 30 minutes and three turnarounds, we found the area in which the coordinates and the treasure were hiding. We walked around for a few minutes and one of the kids found it!

luis perez

The "treasure" was a tin full of coins and small trinkets. There was also a ledger. We selected a small bead and added our name and the date to the ledger. We also left behind a quarter as our contribution.

Then, it was off to find a restroom. After that we headed home for lunch. We headed back out in the afternoon, in the opposite direction, with a different set of coordinates, which were more difficult to find.

Finally, after about 45 minutes in the car and 5 turnarounds, we pulled over and found the treasure right away: a plastic bin with photos of people in it, among other things. Since we had read ahead of time to bring a pic to this one, we added one of our neighbor's dog, then took a picture of ourselves, holding the bin.

viZZZual.com

By then the bugs were beginning to come out and rain was threatening, so we headed back.

All in all it wasn't a bad time, but I couldn't help but think of the gas we used on our little adventure. On the other hand, the kids LOVED it and kept talking about the treasure hunt the rest of the day.

However, I am not one to just do things because the kids love it. There needs to be something else in it that's beneficial, like physical exercise, good nutrition, cooperative skill building or education.

As well, we spent a few hours in the car, unable to make too much eye contact, is that really family bonding?

I don't know--I'm leaning toward this not being something we do in a car. Maybe if I hid a treasure at the local park, then let the kids find it, it would be better, and serve another purpose?

Where do you stand on geocaching? Family treasure hunting fun or another example of indifference to the oil crisis?

.schill

PLEASE give me your $.02 on this one! I need to figure out if we'll do this again.

How to find $100 to reduce our climate impact

Environmental News Network:

Environmental News Network is reporting that climate legislation would only cost $100 for an average family per year.

Now, personally, I don't really have $100 laying around right now, but over the course of a year, I could find it. I think this cause is worth it.


How to find the $100:

In order to "find" the money to cover it, I will work on lowering my utility costs by $8.33 a calendar month.

• hot water heater blanket (estimated average yearly savings at least $25.00)

• water usage: fixing a dripping faucet, getting family to use less water (estimated average yearly savings $20)

• air conditioning: insulated curtains on the east side of my house (estimated yearly savings $25)

• electricity: using a green power strip on TV, Cable, DVD, VCR (estimated yearly savings $25)

• cable (my least favorite utility) canceling the $5 kid's channels (sorry, guys, we'll use the bizillion DVD's we have) (average yearly savings: $60)

OK! With $55 dollars extra saved. Hmmm, maybe that means I can buy new shoes this year!


(photo credit: azrainman)

my 12 deepest, darkest secrets to saving money

AMagill

Here is a list of all I can think of that I do to save money. You may not agree with all I do. But this is how I make ends meet in this economy.

I'll show you mine, if you show me yours. How do you save money?

1. Online Coupon Code Obsession
Ever since I discovered coupon codes, I will not buy ANYTHING online without a quick search. I am OBSESSED with these codes because they really save me big dollars. Generally I never pay shipping and usually get a % off or $ off code as well. Try these sites for codes for your favorite stores:
Coupon Chief
Good Bazaar
Retail Me Not
Average Savings: Free Shipping, 10-30% off


2. Aldi
This is a chain of small grocery stores in 29 of the United States and 18 countries, where you can save 40-50% on your groceries. They mainly carry their House Brand, but occasionally have Special Purchases. This is where I spend the majority of my food budget.
Average Savings: $500/year.

Tjeerd

3. Buy One Get One Free (BOGOF), Especially with Meat
Though I usually do all my food shopping at Aldi, I always browse the ads from the other, more expensive grocers. About once a month one or the other has a Buy One Get One Free Sale. However, I do believe they raise their prices for these events, so I am pretty picky. I usually opt for the whole pieces of meat: roasts, turkey/chicken breast, chops, etc., where I get the biggest bang for my buck.
Average Savings: about 40-50% off.


4. Cashing In On Kid's Presents, Gift Cards
Since my kids were born they have received many, many duplicate gifts or gifts that were the wrong style or size. There have also been things we simply didn't need or want, to be honest. Thankfully most people include a gift receipt these days. So, I do not hesitate to return many of these gifts for gift cards or store credit. My kids also get cash and gift cards as gifts, too.

I put the cash in an envelope and over time, buy the gift cards to be used for household purposes. I keep track of each transaction on the envelope and eventually my kids have a lot of cash. This is also a great learning experience for my kids as we talk about their "savings envelopes" often. I use this cash for BIG ticket items my kids want, but we can't afford. Recently, this money paid for 1/2 of a beautiful swing set! Now we are saving up for a Wii system.
Average Savings: $200/year.

robinsonsmay

5. DIY
Anything service people can do, I can do better! Well, not better, but definitely cheaper! I ALWAYS check my bookshelf and search engine (try swagbucks) for ideas on "How to..." do anything.

• When the fridge leaked water all over
• When the washing machine quit
• When the garage door wouldn't open
• When the (gasp) computer wouldn't let me get online

These issues all occurred in the last 4 months. (Yes, I have had some bad luck). Out of these four potential disasters we managed to fix it all ourselves. My favorite websites for DIY repairs are:
The Samurai Appliance Guru, Repair 2000, and The Natural Handyman. (Thanks, Maggie May).
Average Savings: $200+ in service calls.


6. Make it Myself
I always try to make it myself, if I can. I make all my own cleaners, and baby wipes. I make my own concoction of:

• Hand soap : Clorox Natural Dish Soap, diluted 60/40 with water
  
• Shampoo: Baby Shampoo, diluted 60/40 with water and 10 drops tea tree oil
  
• Honey face mask: warm for 5 seconds in microwave and smear on face. Leave on 15 minutes. Results: less oily and softer skin
• Instead of Nose Strips: I packet Gelatin, with 1 1/2 TBSP milk, warm in microwave for 10-15 seconds and apply to T-Zone. Leave on 15-30 minutes until dry. Will peel off and take hair with it, so be cautious where you use it. Results: minimizes pores.
  
• I make dinners in bulk and then freeze them for future use. I especially like to make freeze chimichangas. They are easy to cook from frozen and so good!
• Acne: Ugh. Try using tea tree oil dabbed right on the blemishes.
  

Average Savings: $300-$600+/per year.


7. Frozen Milk
See my post on how freezing milk saves me BIG.


8. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is seriously my new favorite website. It's a lot of money saving, plus a little treasure hunting. You sign up and use them for searches, which are powered by Ask and Google. Every third search or so, you earn 1-5 swagbucks. You can also subscribe to their Twitter feed and they will tell how to get a "code" to enter in their homepage,which will also get you a Swagbuck. I just earned 45 bucks in 5 weeks of casual use and turned that into a $5 Amazon gift card. How fun! Sign up here.
Average Savings: $5 and counting!




9. Websites and Forums
My favorite money saving websites and forums:

• Frugal Girls!
• Money Saving Tips
• Pays to Live Green
• The Greenest Dollar
• Wise Bread

Average Savings: $100 so far this summer!


10. Never Carry Cash
When I quit smoking, I realized how the cash I carried lasted me so much longer. However, when I had kids, the opposite occurred. Any cash I now have on my person, is like gone, in a flash and I couldn't tell you where it went.

I now have a credit/debit card from my bank and I use it for EVERYTHING, even amounts less than $5 (though there are few of those these days). My bank offers me points that add up to $20 in free gift cards every three months.
Average savings: $80-$100/year.


11. Garage sales/Goodwill/Clearance/Generics
I really only spend money on something if it's from a discount store, on sale or clearance, at a garage sale, or maybe goodwill.

• Garage Sales-I keep a running wish list of used things I'd like for a bargain. Examples include: an extra dresser, lanterns, night stand and clothes for my oldest.
• Good Will- I love buying clothes, jeans especially at good will. They sometimes also have clothes for my kids and occasional furniture I can refinish or paint. And all for a great cause.
  
• Sale or clearance- I *heart* sales, especially end-of-season clearance. Find out when the Kmart near you does their $1.99 on apparel sale, I believe it's twice a year and well worth a trip, even if things are already picked over. I found pajamas, work slacks, underwear for my kid and a bra for me. All $1.99 each. Really.
• Discount store- shop early and often to get the best deals. When discount stores have clearance, you can bet you're getting the best deal out there.
• Generics or House Brands- I will buy just about anything in the generic form (prescriptions, napkins, paper towels, food, coffee, wrinkle cream (not that I have wrinkles or anything), lotion, etc.

Average Savings: $100-$300/year.

12. Lowering Utilities
This is easier than you think. Electric and Gas companies sometimes offer you a guide to variable rates. If you sign up, you can choose when to run your biggest energy appliances, like dishwasher, washer/dryer and the air conditioner. In addition, invest in a power strip to use on your TV/DVD/cable box center. Turn off EVERYTHING when you go to bed. You can also turn off your hot water heater (covered in an insulation blanket) when you go away on vacation. Replace all those regular bulbs with CFL bulbs. Install a digital thermometer so you can control the temperature. If you really want to get fancy, install ceiling fans, and reuse your grey water from the washer to water plants.
Average Savings: $600+/year.

bkusler

Now that you've seen my list, tell me: What do you secretly (or not so secretly) do to save money?

7 great links to go green, right now, today

foxspain

There is a lot of information out there on going green. I constantly see articles on solar turbine, alternative energy usage and reducing what we consume.

It can kinda get a girl all overwhelmed AND stressed. I mean the problem is so big, where can one start? I have been thinking about the average person. The average Jane. The average Jane who currently has said, "forget it" to going green because there's just too much to do and too little time to do it.

Well, I am here to break it down into some simple things that you, the average Jane or the average Joe can do right now, today to help save human kind. Really.

Pink Sherbet Photography

1. Rinse With Hydrogen Peroxide For White Teeth And Healthy Mouth-this article gives you some very practical advice on what you can do with hydrogen peroxide, that which many of you already have in your medicine cabinet. He also mentions it can be a great rinse for fruit!

2. Things You Can Do Today To Help Save the Environment Sound familiar--ah, a post after my own heart!

3. Little Things You Can Do To Save The World This is from puttles. Jump in!

4. Tips In Going Green Today Or At Least Save Some Money These are simple, quick and highly effective!

ChurchHatesTucker

5. This is a video on how to save on scratch paper. Interesting!

6. Here are some sensible ways to Go Green from Mama Does Good. Check her out, she really does do good!

7. This are some basic ways to go green today from Bizymoms.com

So, here you go. 7 links to help the average Joe or average Jane go green, right now, today!

Did I miss any great links out there? Comment below!

let's recycle this wordless wednesday

Rex Roof

hello, nature!

New Tent, by Paul.Carroll.

get rid of toxic habits once and for all

tinyfroglet

Toxic habits, like any bad habits, are hard to break. But if you take things one step at a time and replace the toxic habits with nontoxic habits, you will not only quit doing something that's toxic and bad for the environment, you will help yourself live a nontoxic life

• Making Earth Friendly, User Friendly Here earth friendly changes are rated as either Easy, Medium, or More Challenging. You can pick which level you're up for and make some toxic habits into nontoxic, earth friendly parts of your life.
• A Little Toxic Pesticide, Anyone? Organic food can be an easy habit to start. Learn why organic is better and how to buy organic without breaking the bank.
• Dump No Waste, Drains to River Consider how even the little things we do can have a huge impact on the environment.
• Telemarketing That Helps Your Nontoxic Life There is an easy way to increase the rate at which you reuse things. Keeping, or delaying, things from going into landfills is a great way to help the environment.
• The Magic Eraser is Magic I just love a product that requires no cleaners or soap. My kids can use this and I don't have to worry!
• Tea Tree Oil Counter Spray A great nontoxic cleaner that disinfects!
• What Would You Sell? If you owned your own store, and could sell any nontoxic thing you wanted, what would you sell?
• 9 Ways to Start Living Healthy Right Now, Today Here are some really easy things you can do immediately that will make a big difference to our planet.
• Garbage Day Sometimes one's trash is another's way to reuse!
• What Everyone Ought to Know about Borax Borax can be used many ways to lessen your carbon footprint.

Hot Rod Homepage

These are all great replacement to some of your more toxic habits. Try some or all of these suggestions and feel better, while making our great earth more nontoxic.

Please comment below with a link to your best nontoxic habit!

what everyone ought to know about Borax

I love using non-toxic ingredients for cleaning, especially when I can get a lot of bang for my buck and find one item that has many uses.

Borax is an especially great product that really multi-tasks around the house.  It's available in most Mart stores in the laundry aisle.

1. Borax, as is, is a great scouring powder for counters, fiberglass, sinks or bathtubs.  Just sprinkle and turn a wet sponge into a cleaning machine.
2. Diaper Pail-yuck!  Just dissolve some borax in hot water and swish around the pail.  That dirty baby butt smell will disappear faster than you can say your nontoxic life.
   
3. Eau de toilette or "eww your toilet"?  Put some directly in the bowl and scrub.  Leave it overnight or just until the next "flush". I swear your bowl will sparkle as much as a toilet bowl can.
4. Laundry Booster- just add some to your dirtiest, stinkiest (think husband's socks) laundry along with your detergent. It is also gentle enough for your lingerie and delicates. 
5. Mold and Mildew. I HATE this stuff. Dissolve some Borax in HOT water. Let cool and use as a great alternative to bleach for the mold in your shower or on your basement walls.   Remember to rinse off walls or you may notice a little sparkley white residue when it dries.
6. Ant Killer!  This works great on those HUGE black carpenter ants, which really freak me out.  I have had problems with them in two houses now.  Maybe they followed me. Anyhoo, use table sugar and Borax, in a 1:2 ratio and sprinkle where the ants are currently.  Then sprinkle OUTSIDE where you think they are getting in.
7. Odor Neutralizer.  Let's face it.  Life stinks sometimes, especially if you live with children who still wet the bed (yes, kids, mommy sold you out on that).  Using Borax dissolved in water can help get the urine smell off of plastic mattress covers. 

I'd love to hear other uses for Borax to add to my list.  (Again with the even numbers thing).  Please comment and I'll add your tip with some link love.  

garbage day

In the deep end ;), originally uploaded by [ Kane ].

Today is "garbage day" in my community. People throw out things, usually furniture and other larger items, for anyone to come and pick up, for free.

This is really popular in our area and the surrounding towns. People come looking for something useful and take what they want. The folks who put out stuff win, too. They don't have to pay for trash pickup on these items.

Last, but not least, the planet wins biggest of all. For every (large) item that gets reused by someone new, a space stays open in a landfill.

It's a beautiful thing that even with the economy, the war and the swine flu, we can still get together and do something so positive.

And so it is.

happy. earth. day.

P3299123, originally uploaded by Da Kine Photography/ Tom Frisch.

9, make that 10, 11 ways to start living healthy, right now, today

It's so easy to get overwhelmed with all the healthy living ideas these days. For starters, there are diets, supplements, natural cleaners, recycling, phthalates, BPA's, indoor air pollution, nitrate, pesticides, parabens, phosphates, exercise, toxic relationships, the economy and stress.

Just writing that gave me an eye twitch. Please hold.

OK. I'm back. Whew! But living healthy shouldn't stress us out!

So here are 9 simple ways to start living healthier right now. Included is what you can do right now, today, as well as tomorrow. Enjoy!

1. Paper. Try to use less of it. Right now, today, start using more machine washable cleaning cloths and less paper towels. Tomorrow, try to recycle the papers that circulate in your house: mail, to do lists, newspapers, and magazines. Also, don't even THINK of printing this list. Just kidding, print it, but use the back of something else.

2. Natural Cleaners. Try to incorporate more into your home. Right now, today, start using vinegar and water (50/50 mix) for cleaning windows. Tomorrow, try to look up nontoxic cleaning recipes.

D Sharon Pruitt

3. Diet. Try to eat more fruits and vegetables. Right now, today, eat 5-10 servings (servings are small) of fruits and veggies. Tomorrow, put your favorite fruits and vegetables on your shopping list.

4. Indoor Air Pollution. This one requires research, purchase and maintenance. But let's break it down: today, right now, open all the windows in your house for 5-10 minutes. You will have done a good job of flushing out the old, musty, winter air. Tomorrow, research which plants make good air filters. Some to try: spider plant, aloe vera, golden pothos and peace lily. The maintenance on these plants varies, so read up and keep those little plastic stakes for reference.

5. Sodium Nitrate/Nitrite. Enough questions have been raised about the safety of giving young children food which contain nitrates (hot dogs, lunch meat, pork products) that I believe it's wise for everyone to cut back. Right now, today, read the labels of the hot dogs, lunch meat and pork products in your fridge. The lunch meat in my fridge contains sodium nitrites. How did that sneak through? Tomorrow, put nitrate free on your shopping list. You may need to check in the organic section of your store for a good selection.

6. Toxic Relationships. This could fill an entire blog in and of itself. But let's keep it simple, for today. : ) Right now, today, take stock of the people you come in contact with. Does anyone strike you as potentially toxic? Try to identify anyone who fits that description. Tomorrow, decide which people you should (or have to) keep in your life. Make a plan for dealing with them.

borman818

7. The Economy. OMG, I know this is a biggie, but let's try to take one little piece. Right now, today, instead of trying to figure out how to make more money, think in terms of saving more of the money you have. This could take the form of: bulk cooking and freezing, and thrift stores/garage sales. You could also turn your heating or a/c down, unplug appliances at night, or browse online before you shop.

HaPe_Gera

8. Stress. Ah, one of my favorite topics. The above tips can actually help ease stress a bit in and of themselves, but truly stress will always exist in our lives. Right now, today, close your eyes and listen to your in and out breath for 2-3 minutes (or longer if you can). Done? You've just meditated! That's really all there is to it. Tomorrow, research some ways to reduce stress and consider adding one to your life. Some of my favs: yoga, meditation, running/walking, and taking three deep breaths on the hour.

9. Exercise. OK, everyone know they should be doing it or more if it. But how to begin? Right now, today (if your doctor approves) park farther away in the parking lot on your travels. Not only will this give you a few minutes of great exercise, it may save your car from getting dinged. Tomorrow, add taking the stairs or walking/biking to the closest destination from your house to which you usually drive. Think drug store, library, or convenience store.

10. High Fructose Corn Syrup. Thank you to Kristi for reminding me about this crap. It's a nasty little additive that has no nutritional value whatsoever, but plenty of calories and carbs. Right now, today, inventory a few random items from your pantry. Tomorrow, start being aware of where this insidious stuff lurks.

11. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate/Sodium Laureth Sulfate. Thank you to Beachcomber for bringing up THESE ingredients. Much has been written about how bad they are for our bodies and the environment. Right now, just for today, look at the ingredients on your shampoo and conditioner bottles. Plan a change if you see them.

There you have it. 9, make it 10 , no 11 ways to start living healthier, right now, today.

But I like even numbers (read: I have a little of the OCD) and really need one more tip. First reader to give me the twelfth way to start living healthy, right now, today, will get a free link!

Thanks for helping me even this out. Here's to living healthy!

what would you sell?

If I owned a store, I would sell natural products and recycled products.

I would sell concentrated solutions for cleaning counters, bathrooms, toilets and laundry stains. The containers would be small and people would only need to add tap water in their own bigger spray bottles.

I would sell homemade, natural soaps made with vegetable products and custom scented with essential organic oils.

There would also be similar shampoo, with custom ingredients.

Next would be natural candles, and recycled candle holders.  The candle holders would be made from old ashtrays, old glass lampshades and old silver plated trays.

I also envision other former pieces of junk turned into useful items: like old screen doors made into bulletin boards, old mantles made into headboards or wall decorations and old chairs made into new chairs.  And many other miscellaneous items made into coffee tables and cocktail tables.

I like the theme of my dream here, though I have no serious plans to open such a store.

What would you sell if you owned a store?  Comment back and let me hear your dream!

vinegar, how do I love thee?

Vinegar is my best friend around the house.  I have bottles of it stashed everywhere.  Good thing it's really not drinkable or people might start to talk.

Here are my favorite uses for vinegar,which I pick up for less than $1.50 for a 1/2 gallon at Wal-Mart.  Of course it's also available by the gallon at grocery stores and still very cheap.

Bathroom

• spray bottle for urine "over-spray" (not me! my little boys)
• small spray bottle with essential oil (tea tree or lavender) to eradicate odors
• in the shower for use as a leave in conditioner or as a final rinse or dab anywhere on the body (i.e. feet if I am worried about odor during the day)
• small bottle with cotton balls for use a facial toner (beware it really makes eyes sting if it gets in them)

Kitchen

• used with baking soda for keeping the drain pipes smelling neutral and for slow drains
• I pour it in my dishwasher "rinse aid" container, it works great, it's a green choice and it's cheaper, too!
• I clean out the scale and calcium build up in my coffee makers; it always smells interesting when I brew vinegar!
• I mix anywhere from some to a lot with hot water to make the floors sparkle

Laundry Center

• I use vinegar as an odor treater for clothes by just pouring it right on the garment, then washing
• I have had some success in removing sweat stains from clothes if I soak them long enough in vinegar
• I use vinegar in place of a liquid fabric softener, again it's green and so much cheaper

Basement

• I spray it or leave small bowls of it out to kill that "basement" smell

There you have it. I love vinegar and I'm not ashamed to admit it's a bit of an obsession.  

Anyone else have any other uses for vinegar?

tea tree oil counter spray

R StanekTea Tree

I am a greenie, or at least I try to be. I make all my own cleaners. I use organic essential tea tree oil for my counter spray. The Australians have shown it to have disinfecting properties. Here is my recipe:

• 16 ounces of tap water or distilled water if you have hard water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of dish washing liquid. (I use a naturally derived one)
• 25-30 drops of organic essential tea tree oil

Now be advised that I add the ingredients in the order they are listed above, otherwise the soap will bubble up and overflow before all the water is added.

For this cleaner, I use a spray bottle I had laying around for when I needed to mist my plants. Since my plants all died, I obviously didn't use the mister very much. I do not recommend you wash out a plastic spray bottle from a store bought cleaner. Do so at your own risk as residue can and will remain from the original cleaner.

I usually buy one 1.66 fl. oz. bottle of Aura Cacia Organic Essential Tea Tree Oil which lasts me almost a year! I don't have an exact number on what I have saved by making my own cleaners, but I estimate it saves me at least $75-$100 per year. Plus it's nice to know I have reduced my carbon footprint by only using one spray bottle over the last 5 years!

Tea tree oil has a distinctive odor that many people like, but some don't. It has been described as medicinal, but I just smell "clean".

Please comment back with any other green cleaning tips!