Quick and Easy Toilet Cleaning

Ever get one of those panicky moments when an unexpected visitor arrives and then they ask if they can use the restroom. I know I do. My mind races to figure out who the last person was in the bathroom, would they have flushed? Did they hang the towel back up? Leave toilet paper for the next person? Oh and the toilet, when was the last time I cleaned it? Oh dear!

When an unexpected guest stops by I give my usual, I have no idea who used the bathroom last so please forgive me before you walk in there, speech. However, I have found a simple and quick way to make your toilet smell good and shine quickly with very little effort. Koolaid, yes, any flavor works but lemonade is the best. It is an old trick that military latrine duty cadets use. Sprinkle in some Koolaid and now the latrine is sparkling and smelling beautiful in time for inspection. It works like a charm and has the added benefit of not harming the environment or your pocketbook.
Now, if I could just find a way to make the toilet paper roll change itself.

What to do with your Christmas tree now

Christmas is over and it's time to put away the decorations for another year. Most of the decorations we have can easily be stored. But what about the Christmas tree. There are many options and ways to recycle your tree.

1. Many local landfills offer free tree recycling. They chip them up and add them to the bark mulch.

2. Charities like boy scouts often come around and pick up trees for a $5.00 donation. They then haul them to recycle centers for you.

3. If you have a pond or stream nearby, on your own property or get permission from the property owner, and place the tree top down on the side of the pond or stream. This makes a great place for the fish to hide and a natural habitat for them to live in.

However, my favorite way to recycle the tree is to use it outdoors for a few more months. Place your decoration free, tinsel free tree outside standing upright. Make some homemade bird feeders and hang them in the tree to feed the birds this winter. Oranges can be spiral cut, bananas can be mashed and placed in pine cones as well as rolled in birdseed. You can also cut apple slices, string peanuts or make suet to decorate the tree. As the months go on your tree will become brittle enough for you to break off the branches and add to your own mulch or compost pile. Instead of using your tree for only a few weeks, put it to more use and enjoy it longer.

Green Ice Remover

With the winter season in full swing it's time to find some products we can use that are safe for our families and our pets while being environmentally responsible. One of our biggest concerns outdoors when the snow starts flying is ice. We have a lot of sidewalks and porches at our house that get ice build up very easily. We try to keep it shoveled and free of ice, but that is not easy to do when the ice is 1 inch thick and harder then a brick. We used to use salt and other chemical based melts to keep our sidewalks safe for the mailman, delivery people and ourselves. However as we have become aware of the impact those products have on our environment we have searched out other ways to provide safety. One product that we found this year is called Safe Paw. Not only is is safe for your pets but is environmentally responsible and safe for your sidewalks. Enjoy the snow this year while keeping your children and pets safe.

Green Way to Clean your Microwave

Cleaning the microwave has to rank right up there with cleaning the oven after the holidays. However I ran across this super easy way to clean your microwave while watching a BBC show called "How clean is your house". I was amazed at what I saw on TV, but would it really work in my house and in my microwave.

First cut several lemons or oranges in half. I used mandarins because that is what was in my fridge.
Fill a microwave dish with cold water and your citrus fruit. If you are using a lemon or orange, just one or two will do. I did several mandarins since they are so small. Next, put the dish in the microwave for 5 minutes on high. When it is done, do a quick wipe of all the big and loose particles. Put the fruit in for another 5 minutes but let it sit in the microwave for 20-30 minutes after it's done. Do not leave it too long or it will dry again.

Remove the citrus fruit from the microwave, using a cloth wipe the interior and door clean of all the debris. You should now have a pretty clean, smelling microwave.

Throw your fruit down the garbage disposal and run for 15 seconds and you will have a lovely smelling disposal too.

Make your own Dishwasher Detergent

You may know that you can make your own laundry soap, but did you know you can make your own dish washing soap too? For pennies you can wash your dishes and get them clean while doing your part to protect the earth from harsh chemical additives. This simple detergent is safe for your dishwasher, safe for your dishes and will not give off any toxic fumes while your dish washer is running. Add vinegar to your rinse compartment and you will have sparkling clean dishes in no time for a fraction of the cost of commercial products.

Recipe for Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

• 1 cup Washing soda
• 1 cup Borax
• ½ cup salt
• ½ cup citric acid

Mix together and store tightly covered in a Mason Jar. Use one tablespoon per load. Add vinegar to the rinse dispenser for the best results.

Your environmentally friendly dishwasher detergent is going to have four main ingredients.

• Washing Soda—This is a natural substance, made from salt and limestone. Scientifically it is known as sodium carbonate. It cuts grease on anything and can be used for many of the cleaning projects in your home. Arm and Hammer puts it out in the United States. If you can't find it at your grocers you can find it on Amazon and other places online.


• Borax—Borax occurs naturally in the environment and can be mined as well as created in a lab. You can find it by the laundry detergent most commonly under the brand 20 Mule Team. Borax has no toxic fumes and is safe for the environment. Borax can irritate skin and should not be ingested. Keep out of reach of children.
  


• Kosher Salt—Kosher salt is a pure salt.


• Citric acid—You can buy food grade citric acid like Fruit Fresh or just use unsweetened lemonade packets.

A green way to charge your toys

While browsing a website that is dedicated to helping find gifts for men I came across this amazing product. The Solar Juice Bar is the newest green way to charge all your portable devices. It stores up the energy from the sun and lets you use it to charge up your toys. What a great way to save electricity and do your part for the environment. I can't think of a better gift to give this year to everyone on your Christmas list.

Recycle those sensitive documents

Recently I purged my files of old bills and credit card statements. I had a huge pile, more than I cared to sit and rip into little pieces. With identity theft on the rise and horror stories of credit card companies accepting taped together applications with address changes I felt less then confident throwing those papers in the garbage. I had let the problem build up for several years and now I needed to do something about it.

I did a little research and found a secure shred business that I could take my pile of papers to for a fee and have them shredded. However when I got there I was less then impressed with their lock bins that they stored papers in until they had enough to shred. For twice the money I could wait for them to shred my papers while I watched. What is too keep people from unlocking the bins? Yes, this is a honor system, but I still felt a twinge of worry. After all according to their policy the papers would be shredded when they had a full bin or twice a month which ever came first. I decided for the price and my own sanity I would go and search out a paper shredder.

I found a great criss cross shredder that will make it virtually impossible for anyone, including me to put papers back together. It decreases the chance of my account numbers falling into the wrong hands. The terrific thing is now I can feel comfortable recycling my papers. You may want to check with your local recyclers as to their regulations with accepting loose scraps. Our local company just asks that we put the papers into a bag and place it in our curb bin. This keeps the papers from blowing away when they dump it in the truck.

Having your own paper shredder is a great way to keep the bills and junk mail under control while recycling those sensitive papers to keep our environment running green.

Good Clean Air Indoors

You may have heard that having indoor plants can keep your indoor air cleaner. But how many plants does it take and does it really help?

A study from NASA confirms that common indoor houseplants can filter the air and remove close to 87% of all toxins with in 24 hours. That sounds like good news to me. You don't need as many plants as you may be thinking. An average home, which is about 1800 sq feet, needs between 15-18 plants that are at least 6 inches in diameter. While that may seem like a lot of plants to care for, placing at least two plants in each room in your house will quickly add up. Not only will you be adding to the beauty of your house by bringing the outdoors in, but you will be breathing cleaner, greener air in no time.

Does the H2O mop really work?

The H2O mop could be the green families’ dreams come true. No need for chemicals to clean their floors, and a water saver to boot. But does it work? I went out and bought another brand steam mop and the H2O mop. Both claim to have hot steam action that can clean and sanitize your floor without any chemicals.

My first run with the other brand steam mop had me wishing I hadn't bought it. Sure it steamed, but just barley. In fact I never saw any steam, only heard what sounded like it. Second, I was less than impressed with its cleaning ability. I scrubbed and scrubbed back and forth only for the spot to stay there. After a few minutes I noticed my floor was getting very wet so I changed the pad. It was warm to the touch and the pad was dirty but it was also sopping wet. The steam mop could not get into corners or around things very easily. After giving it my all I was so disappointed that I boxed it up and took it back to the store.

While shopping at a different store, I found the H2O mop. I have watched many infomercials on this mop and like most of the products I have succumbed to off TV, I was sure it wouldn't work. Since I tend to be lazy and not send products back I wasn't even going to give this mop my attention. Well, until I saw it at the store and realized if it didn't work I could take it back.

I immediately saw the difference. It began to steam quickly. I used one tank of water to clean my 3 bathrooms and my kitchen floor. The swivel head went around corners and right up to the edge of the baseboards. It did an amazing job and when I was finished the pad was HOT. To me, this means my floor really did get sanitized with steam, not just a warm mop. I used one pad for the whole job, threw it in the wash and it is as good as new.

For an environmental clean, this mop is the way to go. I feel good about not using any chemicals on my floor where my pets and children walk. It's economical, does not waste water and really did get the floors clean. I give the H2O mop a green thumbs up.

Cooking With Your Crockpot

Cooking a meal for your family using your crockpot not only saves energy, it also saves money. How many times have you had to pick dinner up on your way home because you ran late? Taking a few minutes in the morning to get your crock pot going will save you from those last minute dinner runs.

Here is a wonderful dinner that I just cooked up for my family last night. The prep time was less than 10 minutes and filled up my family of 5 easily.

Crock Pot Ham and Potatoes

Thinly slice 6 or 7 medium russet potatoes, leave the skins on. (Red or Yukon would be wonderful too)
1/2 sweet onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic (diced)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1-2 cups diced ham
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup, low fat version
1 cup water

Place the sliced potatoes in the bottom of the crock pot. 
Mix the onions, cheese, garlic and ham and place on top of the potatoes.
Stir cream of mushroom soup and water and pour over the top of your mixture.

Put the lid on and turn it on low heat for 6-7 hours. Serve with a big green salad or steamed asparagus.

Green Power for Your Windows

Cleaning your windows with a simple home made solution will get them sparkling clean while keeping your environment toxic free. Recycle your black and white newspapers while you are at it by using them in place of paper towels. Not only will your windows be streak free, but there will be no lint left on them. 
Mix 2 tablespoons of white vinegar with 2 cups of water. Pour it into a reusable spray bottle and you’re done. If you are just switching over from commercial cleaners you can add ½ teaspoon of a plant based dish washing liquid to your mix. This will help to cut through any wax build up left over from the other cleaners. After a couple of cleanings you can leave the dish washing liquid out of your mix.
It is best to clean your windows when the sun is not shining on them to avoid it drying before you can wipe it off. This will keep your windows streak free.

Brown Rice and Lentil Soup

Lentils and Brown Rice and Tomatoes make this dish an excellent fall meal.

1/2 cups chicken or veggie broth
1/2 cup white wine or additional chicken or veggie broth
1 onion, medium (we love onions and add 2)
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
1/2 cup lentils, dried and uncooked
1 garlic clove, minced or diced
1 bay leaf for seasoning
1/4 t. dried basil
1/4 t. dried thyme
1 dash pepper
1 cup of Italian Stewed tomatoes, diced
1 dash salt
1/2 cup Swiss cheese, shredded


Using a dutch oven or heavy pan (1 1/2 quart), combine all ingredients except tomatoes, salt and cheese. Cover the dutch oven and bake at 350 F for 40 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes and salt and bake again for 20 minutes or until lentils are soft.
Throw the bay leaf in your compost or garbage. Put shredded cheese over lentil mixture. Bake uncovered for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted....garnish with flat leaf parsley
Enjoy!

Paper Towels vs Dryers

Which do you have in your office? Has your office banned the use of Paper Towels for the greener option of sensor dryers? Some office are now moving to sensor dryers that do not waste energy when not in use. Which do you think has the least affect on the environment? Several blogs say hand dryers. One blog mentioned bringing your own towel in or wiping your hands on your pants. Which do you prefer? What is your office doing to be "green"?

Bleach ----Organically. Have You Tried it?

If you have a stained bathroom tub or sink, try this combination for an organic alternative to bleach.

Mix 1/2 cup of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon natural dishwashing soap
1 teaspoon hydrogen peroxide

Wet your surface and apply with a clean cloth or sponge.
Rinse well with water....Voila...the natural way to bleach

Sweet Tip for Tomato Stains

Today's tip: When you get a tomato sauce stain on your favorite shirt; immediately apply a small amount of shaving cream on the stain...then dab with a damp warm sponge. Let it dry and then throw it in your laundry as usual. Your favorite shirt will soon be good as new!

Growing Organic Blueberries

We found some great information on growing blueberries in Oregon here. We have only two plants but one yields enough blueberries for our family plus some to share. We'd like to plant more bushes so that we can make even more pies with them. Our favorite Blue Berry Pie recipe will come in a later post after we make it and take pictures.

"We now know that blueberries are one of the best sources of antioxidants, substances that can slow the aging process and reduce cell damage that can lead to cancer,” according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.

Where do you get your blueberries from? Your garden, your local farmer's market or the grocery store?

Growing Organic Rainer Cherries in Oregon

The best thing about June for my family is our cherry tree. My kids climb it year round, but in June...the cherries are ripe to perfection. We climb and pick cherries until our mouths and buckets are full.

Every year we invite people over to pick our cherries. This particular cherry is about 8.99 a pound in the groceries stores. Our friends and family always love our cherries. Because they are grown organically and with no sprays, they do not store up well in the refrigerator. So, you must pick what you can devour in a day or two.

We will post pictures of our other organic grown berries from around our home. We have blueberries, raspberries, logan berries, gooseberries and strawberries. Later in the summer we will have grapes, both green and purple.

Follow Up on Homemade Laundry Soap

I've been using the homemade Laundry soap recipe for four months now. Our family gives it a thumbs up! We love the new soap. We save approximately 15-20 dollars a month by making our own soap. We do a large amount of laundry for our family of five and usually go through one large box of laundry soap per month. Making our own has been fun and cost saving.

If you haven't tried it..you should give it a try.

Need a Good Father's Day Gift?

Want to win this guy for free? Leave us a comment on why you Love your Dad and we will randomly pick a winner on Thursday and overnight him this gift in your honor.


Check out this great Father's Day gift. Gund Bear with a Daddy's Button.

He is in a relaxed, reclining position, and when you press his arm, he sings "Don't Worry Be Happy" as he taps his foot along to the music and his mouth moves to the words. He has an on/off switch on his bottom and he comes with 3 AA batteries, ready to sing for you! This "Don't Worry Be Happy" Goober has a button that says "#1 Dad."

Learning How to Recycle at a Young Age

We see 7 year old, Halle, learning how to recycle and wash cans for a good project. She is helping her community by rinsing and recycling aluminum cans.
Kids do have fun helping the planet if parents encourage it. Why not make eco-friendly choices at your home today? We'd love to see video and hear from you if your family likes to help the planet!

Quick Tips for Cleaning Anything

We all need a list of quick tips for cleaning stains. Here is a start to our list for everyday items that need cleaning.

• Remove tea stains from tablecloths with gylcerin. Let it sit overnight, then wash as normal.
• Use Petroleum Jelly to remove tar from clothes. Rub until tar is gone, then wash jelly off with a spray and wash cleaner.
• Remove candle wax from tablecloths with an ice cube then scrape it off with a kitchen knife.
• Stuffed animals are easy to clean. Just place them in a cloth bag and add baking soda or cornmeal and shake...
• Have stains around the collar of your dress shirts? Rub chalk on them, wait 15 minutes then launder as usual. The chalk will absorb the oils.
• Soda spills? Use hydrogen peroxide and water (1/4 c to 3 cups water) put in a spray bottle and spray. Wait 10 minutes then soak in 1/4 cup white vinegar and cold water.
  
• Ballpoint Ink stains can be cleaned with rubbing alcohol. Put on a clean cloth and pour alcohol on item, then rinse thoroughly.

Green Tip for the Day-Recycled Crafts for Kids

When receiving birthday or celebration cards from other people some people keep them , some throw them away and some do not know what to do with them. We like to reuse our cards for the next birthday or celebration. You can cut the cards out in fun shapes to make gift cards..you can scrapbook parts of the card or keep them for arts and crafts projects for the kids.

When I was younger, I taught a Sunday School class and we used to have an older lady bring all her cards in to us. I didn't know what to do with them but one day I realized we could re-gift them. My students started cutting them out into different shapes and pasting them onto cardstock that was also recycled. We made cards and then visited a nursing home and gave them out to the residents. Everyone enjoyed this so much and the lady who brought them to me was especially thrilled that we were able to make someone's day with them.

Do you have never ending gift giving opportunities in your family and circle of friends? We've found a blog that has wonderful crafts for kids! Zakka Life has a fabulous site with many postings on recycled crafts. They have great ideas if you are in need of some summer fun!

The Life Of A Seven Year Old: Outside Front Yard Of The World

The Life Of A Seven Year Old: Outside Front Yard Of The World

Small is Beautiful---Dwarf Veggies-Container Gardening

Have you ever wanted to garden but don't feel you have the space? Try dwarf varieties of vegetables. You can find just about any veggie you want to grow in a dwarf variety. These types can be grown in containers or roof-top gardens and can provide your family with the much needed fresh vegetables. One of my my families favorite veggies to grow is zucchini. Here is a recipe we use to eat baby zucchini.
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 med. onion, sliced
2 med. zucchini, thinly sliced

Heat the olive oil. Saute garlic and onion for one minute, then add the zucchini.

Sauteed veggies are a great way to enjoy fresh summer produce. Plant some veggies today, you have no excuses.

Eco-Friendly Dry Cleaners

If you absolutely have to dry clean your clothes, try to find one who uses non-toxic silicon based products. There are more and more dry cleaners going Green, you just have to look for one.

Did you know that many clothes labeled dry-clean only are actually washable by hand with soap and cold water? If you don't want to try that, find a cleaner that will wet-clean. They do not use chemicals to clean your clothes, they rely on steam, pure soap and vacuuming.

A Great Bathtub Cleaner

Porcelain, enamel and fiberglass bathtubs can all use this simple formula.

1/3 c. baking soda
1/2 c.borax
1 t. natural dishwashing soap (or your homemade version)
lavender and eucalyptus oil

Mix all the ingredients except oils. Then when well mixed, drop 5 drops of both lavender and eucalyptus oils in and stir into a paste. DO NOT DILUTE. Rub the paste on a clean cloth and use some elbow grease to clean your sink, shower and bathtub.
Works great, plus you can burn calories while cleaning. No offensive odor and you have a clean bathroom.

Wanna Scrap!

No, I don't mean the hair pulling, sand throwing, limb-locking tangle of a school yard tussle. What I'm referring to is scrapaction.org ! SCRAP stands for the School & Community Reuse Action Project. This wonderful organization is based in Portland Oregon. It is a non-profit organization whose mission is to "inspire creative reuse and environmentally sustainable behavior by providing educational programs and affordable materials to the community." In short, they offer the cast off yet otherwise usable materials from businesses and local organizations, to schools, groups, and even artists' alike. What do they offer? They offer a wide variety of materials from plastic beads, to holographic film, paints, fabric remnants and more. You name it. If it is headed for a landfill and is deemed safe to reuse then Scrapaction offers it!

They also offer many community based classes and programs that involve teachers, parents, students and artisans. These programs feature many creative ideas for using these cast off products. Many big name business and brand name companies are on the expansive list of donors for this program. Namely, Tazo Teas, Whole Foods markets, Portland store fixtures and the list goes on and on. Businesses are encouraged to donate their unwanted, unused, or even brand new products to help support the programs and classes taking part all over.

Scrapaction also owns and operates a walk-in storefront called the Creative Reuse Center where local artisans and everyday people can pop in and search out unusual additions to their latest masterpiece, school or community project such as metal parts, compasses, beads, paints and a variety of oddities at minimal cost. They are currently working on the addition of a fully functioning art gallery featuring only creations using environmentally friendly and reusable components. Scrapaction encourages all comments, questions and concerns about their rapidly growing educational program. This wonderful organization is certainly doing its part to help ensure that people from all walks of life always have sustainable options for whatever the project they may be involved in. And for this we give them a big thumbs up!

Simply Green Carpet Shampoo

This recipe is a very simple alternative to the toxic harsh smelling chemicals you find in store bought carpet shampoos. If you are like me and are highly irritated by smells and fumes. This shampoo is very simple and it works.

• 1/2 cup dishwashing liquid (can use your homemade versions)
• 2 pints distilled white vinegar
• water

Mix the dishwashing liquid into 2 cups of boiling water. Cool and a jelly like substance will form. Use a damp sponge to gently work this solution into the rug. Rinse with a solution of 2 cups distilled white vinegar and a quart of water applied with a clean cotton cloth or terry. Wipe dry and repeat as necessary. Takes a little more work, but well worth the results. (Test a small part of your carpet prior to cleaning)

Cleaning Wooden Floors with Homemade Cleaner

• 1/2 cup distilled vinegar (white-not cider, of course)
• 2 T. natural dishwashing soap
• water
• Lavender essential oils
• orange essential oil

Mix the soap and vinegar into a bucket with 2 gallons of warm water. Add in 10 drops of lavender and 5 drops of orange oil and stir. Mop your floor, but do not get them over saturated.

Cheap and Green Recipes for Dishwasher Soap

Make Homemade, Phosphate-free dishwasher soap with a simple recipe.
Mix:

• 1 T. Borax
• 3 T. Baking Soda
• 2 drops of lemon oil

Use this in dishwasher and you will never buy the store versions again.

The Green Garden.

How does your garden grow? Hopefully it grows green! These days we should all be looking for ways to reduce our own personal carbon footprint and with spring upon us why not consider our gardening practices as well. When it comes to gardening there are many ways you can reduce your carbon footprint. For starters try starting your garden from seed this year. Seeds cost only pennies on the dollar as opposed to buying starter plants each year from the nursery. One packet of seeds can be used to start many plants and the unused seeds-if properly stored- will remain viable for up to 4 years! Not only will you have plants for yourself but you will be able to offer many plants to friends, family, and even local gardening clubs. Another great reason for starting from seed is that you can grow your plants in a more controlled environment and on a smaller scale than nursery bought plants. This alone will enable you to avoid using environment damaging pesticides and chemicals on your plants. A smaller scale garden benefits greatly from natural predators such as ladybugs, toads, and predatory wasps. Let these guys do the hard work in the way mother nature intended and your garden will definitely be green!

*Starting plants from seed will guarantee you many plants to share.

Another great way to go green in the garden is to recycle your supplies. Think about it, every time you buy a new nursery bought plant there is yet one more non-biodegradable pot that will ultimately end up in a landfill somewhere. Try and reuse these pots year after year to start your seedlings. Remember! They are not bio-degradable and will remain durable indefinitely. If you find that you have far more than you will need you can contact your local extension program for a list of places to donate these pots. Many schools, garden clubs, and home gardeners are sharing these supplies in an effort to adopt more earth friendly practices.

*Reusing plastic nursery pots goes a long way in reducing your carbon footprint.

Finally, to make your garden green, share with others! It is likely that you will have an abundance of fresh flowers and produce at harvest time. This is a wonderful opportunity to network and share with other green gardeners. By exchanging techniques and ideas you will be able to participate in making your community more aware of the need for more earth friendly garden practices. By doing so you will be doing your part to promote sustainable practices that will benefit the planet for years to come.

Upcycled Chic?

There is a new trend taking the country-possibly even the world-by storm today and it is called "Upcycling." People all over the country are adopting this practice and going from trash to treasure with minimal effort at most. Upcycling is quite similar to recycling in that both practices were created to divert waste material from ending up in landfills and worsening the earth wide threat of climate change. The term was coined by William McDonough and Michael Braungart.

Upcycling is most commonly defined as the taking of disposable waste materials otherwise destined for landfills and making them into usable products of greater use or higher monetary value. Upcycling is an integral component of sustainable living as it allows for the reduction of waste materials while simultaneously creating new and useful products for the consumer. This practice has really taken off in the independent art forum as well. Creative artisans are using such products as non-biodegradable shopping bags and upcycling them into everything from couture fashions to artistic handbags.Because we also care about our world and the world of our consumers.

Planet Gift Baskets has not only adopted a recycling program for it's waste materials but has most recently joined in on the upcycling craze as well. Planet Gift Baskets employs a local artisan who in her spare time takes our disposable packing waste such as the chipboard cores of our packing tape, reusable pieces of cardboard, and chipboard inserts to create one of a kind jewelry pieces. For example, once a tape reel has been finished she uses the chipboard core to design and create beautiful vintage bracelets and brooches. She also uses old plumbing washers and hardware to create one of a kind earrings and necklaces. We are proud to participate in making our world a better place by adopting sustainable practices and by also supporting local artisans who continually seek out ways to creatively turn trash into treasures

Planet Gift Baskets employee and local artisan Cindy Shea turns old packing tape reels and plumbing washers into these one of a kind treasures.

Happy Earth Day!

Enjoy the Earth Today

• Ride your bike on a nature path
• Clean up a section of road that has been forgotten
• Weed a neighbors yard for them (ask first :-)
• Pick up cans and recycle them
• Go to a park
  
• Plant a flower or tree

Remember, the earth is in our hands.

Really Cheap Laundry Soap That WORKS!

We are saving more and more money these days with our new choice for laundry soap. I was skeptical that it would work, but it really does. No more large plastic containers filling up the landfills.
There are many recipes on the net that you could find. Most are liquid, but we prefer powdered.
Not only do you save space in the landfills you save money. The recipe we use is printed here for you to try. One hint: we used a food processor to grate our soap, worked like a charm.


2 cups Fels Naptha Soap (finely grated)
1 cup Washing Soda
1 cup Borax

• Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container.
• Use 2 tablespoons per full load. (we used a coffee scoop we found at Bi-Mart for $1.00 1/8 c.)
  

Chose To Reuse! Planet Gift Basket Green Ideas

Avoid Single use items whenever possible. Choose items that will last longer and can be used and reused multiple times. Get creative with your reuse.
We recently bought a batch of dog treats from Costco in a flip lid container. Our kids suggested we keep it and use it for the cat food. It worked great!

Keeping Baby Items Clean without Toxic Cleaners

Plastics are always hard to clean. If you have a plastic diaper pail, you can rinse it with 1 teaspoon of tea tree oil to 1 cup of white vinegar (distilled). Soak for a few hours and then rinse. You should have a much better smelling pail. Here's a great idea to help deodorize your pail.

Keeping Food Fresh- Here's a Great Resource

What a wonderful resource for finding out if your food is safe. Still Tasty offers consumers the average dates that food stays safe and healthy.

Did you know that the average time to store a banana is only 2-5 days? You can put it into the refrigerator for up to seven days but don't be shocked if the peel turns very brown. It will not affect your fruit but it will not be pretty to look at.

Tip: You can keep your fruits and vegetables fresher by adding a clean kitchen sponge to the drawers in your fridge. It will absorb the excess moisture and keep the air drier. It works wonders...just make sure that your sponge is brand new and never been used.

Engage your Kids in Active Participation in Saving the Environment

When you engage your children to help recycle your household products, you will be amazed at how much they want to be involved. Our children have found time each day to recycle junk mail, boxes, cans and milk jugs. We make this a part of our everyday chores. We used to have to sort the recycling, but now we have a container that it all goes into and our city services pick them up every two weeks for free. Check your local city utilities to find out if you have a program in your town.
At Planet Gift Baskets, our company recycles every day also. We try and reuse some packing materials that are sent to us and we always recycle our cardboard that supplies are shipped to us in. We have noticed that many companies are now shipping their supplies to us in recycled boxes, we then in turn pass those along to our recycling center. We are constantly looking for ways to pack our items with less materials, also.

Today's Green Tip--Keeping Rodents Away

Mice hate mint..don't know why, but they do. If you have trouble keeping mice out of your cupboards, use mint toothpaste. Wipe mint toothpaste nearby the mouse hole they appear at and this will deter them from entering.
Another reader chimed in with peppermint oil on cotton balls. "That smell of mint just seems to keep them from coming back."
Whatever you do to keep the mice away, make sure you keep yourself and your family chemically free.

Help! I have bugs...What Can I do Naturally to keep them away?

It's that time of year again. Bugs start making appearances when the weather turns warmer.
One thing you can do to eliminate crawling bugs in your kitchen cupboards is to shred a few bay leaves long with basil leaves in your drawers and cupboards. Bugs do not like the smell and will find another hiding place. You can also find their entrance into your home and make a line of crushed leaves that keep them from entering.

Recyling Food and Soda Cans

Did you know that by recycling just one can, you can power a television for up to three hours? Recycling aluminum requires only 5 percent of the energy it takes to manufacture the original item. Next time you are tempted to throw away a can...remember that one can makes a difference in the environment.

Tip of the Day for a Green House and Home

Need to get rid of pests? Here are a few simple ways to use household products to deter the pests.

Ants: Locate the entrance to the nest and squeeze a lemon onto it and leave the peel behind. Ants will also stay away from chalk lines, bone meal, charcoal dust, cayenne pepper and cinnamon. No need to use all of these ingredients at once, just pick your favorite and ants will retreat.