Over the past couple years, our family has been working on ways to live more healthy and sustainable lives. Better for us, better for our community, and better for our environment.

If you’re looking for ways to live more healthfully, below, you'll find a list of some environmentally-friendly things you can do. Even something as simple as switching the type of light bulbs you use or carrying a reusable bag to the store can be a great place to start. I encourage you to think long-term. Please contact me if I can help you get started or answer any questions! And spread the word!

I highly recommend the book Clean House Clean Planet by Karen Logan. It's full of non-toxic, inexpensive household cleaning recipes. I use these in my own house. They work wonderfully, cost next-to-nothing, and leave only a fresh, clean scent. I never have to worry about harmful fumes or chemicals with these great cleaners.

I personally use many of these homemade, non-toxic cleaning products. Simple combinations of baking soda, vinegar, borax, and essential oils make a variety of cleaners, which I use on the mirrors, windows, toilets, sinks, floors, and more. They are effective, cheap, and -- best of all -- I don't worry about my kids getting into them. In fact, my boys help with the cleaning! Here are some of the recipes. (Some of them have been slightly modified by me, as I experimented with the ingredients for best results.)

For things that I can’t make, like dishwasher detergent, I buy Seventh Generation products that are biodegradable and non-toxic. In addition to being safe for our family, they don’t dump bad chemicals into our water supply when we flush them down the drain, so they don’t pollute our water system.

Toilet Cleaner: Sprinkle 1/4 cup Borax and a few drops of essential oil (eucalyptus or tea tree oil are antiseptic) into toilet, scrub, let sit for a few minutes, scrub again, and flush.

Floor Cleaner: In a squirt bottle, create a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water, add a few drops of essential oil (peppermint or lavender are nice), squirt cleaner onto floor, and mop up.

Glass Cleaner: Club soda in a squirt bottle works well, as does a mixture of water and vinegar. Wipe down with a lint-free cloth.

Tub and Sink Cleaner: Shake some baking soda mixed with a a few drops of essential oil (orange or lime is nice) into sink or tub, wipe with damp sponge, rinse.

"GREEN" CHANGES THAT YOU CAN DO!

In the home:

• get an energy audit on your home
• install energy-efficient windows
• purchase energy-efficient furnace
• shut off the faucet when brushing teeth
• use green cleaners (see recipes, above)
• wash clothes in warm or cold water rather than hot water
• line dry clothes in the summer (they smell so good!)
• don't buy dry-clean-only clothes
• let the dish washer "air dry"
• use natural fragrances
• recycle like crazy (did you know most cardboard can be recycled, including the boxes from crackers, chips, cake mixes, cereal, pop packs, toothpaste, etc.?)
• turn off all lights when you leave a room
• unplug cell phone charges when not actively charging
• use a ceiling fan to cool the air as much as possible in summer
• replace lightbulbs with compact flourescent (remember you can't throw these in the trash... must be taken to hazardous waste site or Ikea for disposal)
• keep shades down in direct summer sun and up in winter

Outside:

• use a reel-push lawn mower
• purify the air with plants, plant a garden every summer
• have less grass and more native plants in the yard
• clean up after ourselves outside, and pick up after those who forget

The food we eat:

• eat more fruits, veggies, and legumes, and less meat
• instead of buying water in disposable bottles, use tap water in reusable bottles
• eat what's in season, buy from farmer's markets, buy the "dirty dozen" fruits and veggies as organic-only: apples, cherries, grapes from Chile, nectarine, peaches, pears, raspberries, strawberries, bell peppers, celery, potatoes and spinach
• buy shade-grown coffee
• join a CSA (community supported agriculture farm)
• buy organic meat and milk
• compost

Shopping/purchasing:

• buy stuff that has the least packaging
• buy things that have recycled content
• borrow books, CDs and DVDs from the library rather than purchasing new
• get off junk mail and catalog lists so we're not tempted to buy
• find new uses for old things/buy second-hand things
• re-use bags when shopping or carry a reusable tote
• buy things that will last rather than buy the cheapest stuff that breaks
• bring lunch to work/school in reusable containers
• reuse ziploc bags
• use cloth napkins at dinner time and microfiber cloths for cleaning rather than paper napkins and towels
• buy organic cotton clothing
• avoid "big box" stores, especially those that are known to have poor employment and environmental practices
• favor smaller shops so the money stays local and supports your “neighbors”

Transportation:

• combine car trips by grouping errands according to location
• keep car tires properly inflated/keep car tuned up and don't drive over 65
• don't idle the car... shut it off!

Other good ideas:

• pay bills online to reduce paper waste
• get rid of stuff on craigslist or twincitiesfreemarket.org
• vote for change each and every election
• spread the word!

Web Sites

http://www.nativeenergy.com
Our climate is changing. The earth is getting warmer. The main cause is burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas to make electricity, to keep our homes warm, and to power our cars and travel by plane. Visit this site to figure out your "carbon footprint" -- how much carbon your family produces each year.

http://www.coopamerica.org/
Get green living, purchasing and investing resources you can use from Co-op America. Become a member... they have a great newsletter!