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.