Live Green. Love Green.

Before I even begin this post let's talk about the title.   Do you even know what I'm talking about?  Can you even pronounce that word?    No worries, I couldn't pronounce it until a few minutes ago when I had to have an online dictionary say it for me.  I won't make you consult Google or Bing or whatever search engine you prefer.  It's pronounced  səˈro͞omən (feels good on the tongue doesn't it) and it is the scientific name for EARWAX.   Maybe you already knew this, maybe you didn't.  In either case, I bet you can't wait to hear more about what I have to say about that yellowish, grayish, brownish waxy stuff that builds up in our ear canals.   Stay with me for a minute and at least pretend you're kinda excited about ear wax because it's something we ALL experience.  According to Wikipedia, cerumen consists of skin cells and secretions from the ceruminous and sebaceous glands of the outside ear canal (EW?!).  It's mainly composed

Baby skin is generally very sensitive and particular care needs to be taken when using any forms of skincare products lotions or oils on your baby.   It might surprise you to know that many of the baby skin care products on the market contain ingredients that can cause skin irritations and other allergies. Many manufacturers of baby care products are unfortunately focused first and foremost on their profits and they know that packaging and marketing are what sells their products more than anything else.  For this reason, they will add fragrances and colorants to enhance the look and smell of the product in the hope to boost sales.   Unfortunately, it is these very same colors and fragrances that can play havoc with your child's comfort and health causing skin and breathing issues.   Having eczema and skin irritations is a big factor in why many babies are unsettled and cry a lot.    Look at the ingredients on the packs and see if they have included any chemicals or co

Organic food consumption has increased in popularity over the years and that increase continues to rise at a relatively steady pace.   There is a good chance that you’ve seen an organic food aisle at one of your local grocery stores or driven past a farmer’s market where organic food was sold at one point or another.   You may have noticed these organic food options and chosen to pass them by for conventionally produced foods or you may have wondered about what makes them so great.   Many health conscious individuals swear by organic food and I recommend them when possible as they can help promote lifelong health and happiness.   If you’re uncertain about making the switch to organic foods you may want to consider the benefits of eating organic to make an informed decision about what you’re eating. Environmental Benefits Did you know that organic foods can help the environment?   They can because they reduce the amount of chemicals going into food production.   Farmers who pu

Did you know that you can easily make your own cleaners that are not only better for the environment but also work well, while being safer for you, your kids and your pets, too?  Let’s look at some basic, easy-to-make eco-friendly cleaners. All you need are a few ingredients you likely already have around your house, and a few spray bottles plus, some sort of writing instrument to label the bottles.   Wash Your Windows In a spray bottle, mix 2 cups of water with 3 tablespoons white vinegar.   You can use old newspaper as your cloth to wash the window, or use a squeegee. The vinegar smell will disappear quickly and your windows (or any glass surface) will look sparkly and shiny. Disinfect If you have surfaces that need to be disinfected, such as cutting boards and toilets, you can easily create that yourself in a spray bottle.   Just mix 2 cups of water with four drops of any type of natural soap, like unscented liquid castile soap, and 10 to 15 drops of tea tree oil

Thinking about a steamy bubbly bath evokes feelings of warmth and relaxation for me.  They’re rejuvenating and comforting in a unique way that allows us to release our stresses if only for a little bit. A cold winter day is a wonderful time to soak up some quiet time in the bath, but it’s important to be eco-conscious about our celebration. FUN FACTS Buying concentrated bubble bath instead of a standard 16oz plastic bottle of bubble bath every other month you can save one-quarter pound of plastic and $10-20 per year more.  If one in one hundred households decreased their bubble bath purchases in this way, the savings would total 250,000 pounds of plastic.  That amount of plastic could build a wading pool the size of Wrigley Field. Need another reason to green your bath routine?  By 2025, the world must increase its water supply by 22% in order to meet its needs. Here are some ways to enjoy National Bubble Bath day in an environmentally friendlier way: 1. Use baths as an indulgence

There's a small handful of things you absolutely don't want to flush down the drain, such as money or time – and also old cooking grease, unused medicines, and household chemicals.   That's right - modern American homes are full of things that CAN go down the drain but SHOULDN'T.  Here few tips on what those are – and how to deal with them responsibly. Your doctor will tell you that grease clogs your arteries - it also clogs the arteries of your city or town, which are the sewage pipes that connect your home to the water treatment plant.  When grease clogs these pipes, the results aren't pretty: sewage can back up into the street, yards, and even into neighboring homes.    Oil & Grease The best thing to do with cooking oil and grease is to reuse it.  If the oil is used for frying mainly one thing, such as french fries, it can be used several times.  Just strain the oil through cheesecloth or coffee filters into a covered can or container.  Bacon grease