Go Green Today!  Receive A Free BAG!

Let today be the day you decide to remove Toxic Cleaners from your Home and Office. Email me at myfreebag@yahoo.com and I will send you a free garbage bag as a symbol of taking the First Step to BETTER Health for Yourself, Family and the Planet. 

 Also there will be one lucky winner each month that will receive a free tote bag ( $9.00 value)

 Use this bag to dispose of your current cleaning products that contain many harmful toxins and chemicals that are so unhealthy for you and the planet. 

 Please check with your local city or town where you can bring these cleaners to safely dispose of them.  Most towns ask that we do not throw these products into our landfills because of the threat they pose to our communities by leeching into the ground.

For more information about non toxic cleaning products go to: http://www.shaklee.net/greenlifebasics/prodHou

Going green doesn’t need to be difficult or complicated. Even small steps count, and what you do every day can help keep your family and the planet healthy. By carefully choosing the products we buy we can keep tons of waste out of our landfills which in turn will reduce greenhouse gases. We can look for products with minimal packaging and find products that are concentrated so thyou won’t have to purchase as often. Here are five suggestions;

Some conventional cleaning products can contain questionable chemicals like phthalates, butyl cellosolve, sodium hydroxide, ammonia, or formaldehyde. Why would you endanger your health or the health of the planet with harsh chemicals and toxic substances when you can choose natural and healthier alternatives?

Switch to Get Clean®. Get Clean offers choices that are safe, nontoxic, and natural, and they work wonderfully. Many Get Clean products are formulated using sustainably sourced ingredients from natural sources, like activated enzymes or biodegradable cleaning agents derived from corn and coconuts. When you welcome Get Clean products into your home, you’re not exposing your family to many of the dangerous chemicals found in conventional cleaners.

A great way to start is with the Get Clean Starter Kit—everything you need to clean your home. http://www.shaklee.net/greenlifebasics/product/50444

2. Start Using your Dishwasher!

Make sure to use a phosphate-free detergent. Phosphates spur algae blooms and are a major source of water pollution.

Get Clean Dish Wash Automatic Concentrate is one of the first phosphate-free automatic dish wash detergents.  http://www.shaklee.net/greenlifebasics/product/00295

3. Ditch the Anti-bacterial Hand Soap
 Triclosan, a common ingredient in antibacterial soap that kills microbes, ends up in our water sources and, at specific levels, is acutely and chronically toxic to aquatic life. Moreover, overuse of antibacterial and antimicrobial soap can help create antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which may weaken the effectiveness of currently useful antibiotics. Antibacterial soap doesn’t offer any better protection against illness than vigorous hand washing with plain soap and warm water.  Get Clean Hand Wash Concentrate is a great antibacterial-free alternative. It’s soap free, pH balanced, hypoallergenic, and has biodegradable surfactants. http://www.shaklee.net/greenlifebasics/product/00304

4. Bring your own bag

Okay, we’ve all heard this one, but it’s true. Neither paper nor plastic is the ideal choice. Paper is accepted in more recycling programs, but only approximately 20% is recycled, and most bags can end up in landfills. Plastic bags not only can take a thousand years to decompose and but use up nonrenewable resources. The best choice? Bring your own reusable bag. A sturdy, reusable one can take the place of hundreds or maybe even thousands of single-use bags over its lifetime.

Get Clean offers lightweight, sturdy, reusable shopping bags in a bright green color with the Get Clean logo, so you can spread the word while you shop. http://search.shaklee.net/?siteURL=Z3JlZW5saWZlYmFzaWNz%0D%0A%09%09&pws_col=MzQ%3D%0D%0A%09%09&sn1=R3JlZW5MaWZlQmFzaWNz%0D%0A%09%09&sn2=V2VhciBUaGUgRGF5IFdlbGwh%0D%0A%09%09&q=green+shopping+bag

5. Buy from Socially Responsible Companies
Use your consumer power to support companies that are environmentally responsible and offer products that are safe for you and the environment. Shaklee has a long history of environmental responsibility, including introducing one of the first biodegradable cleaners in 1960.

Shaklee is the first company in the world to obtain Climate Neutral™ certification and totally offset its greenhouse gas emissions See my page on Shaklee heritage: http://greenlifebasics.wordpress.com/shaklees-environmental-heritage/

I was recently asked my thoughts on air purifiers so it is perfect timing with the arrival of allergy season.  There are a variety of reasons to use air purifiers and if you go to this link it will give a whole listing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_purifier.

I personally use the AirSource 3000 air purifier.  The company selling this has a great track record for quality products and has a whole line of green non-toxic cleaners that have been promoted by Oprah on her show.

The AirSource 3000 helps reduce all three of the major forms of air pollution: particles such as pollen, pet dander, dust, and cigarette smoke; microbes such as mold and bacteria; and gases and odors. That’s especially critical since the Environmental Protection Agency consistently ranks indoor air pollution among the top five environmental risks to public health.  You can purchase at http://www.shaklee.net/greenlifebasics/product/55102

For More information see my page entitiled Air Purifiers.

Clinical tests

New AirSource 3000 Usage Recommendations When the AirSource 3000 was first introduced, based upon testing verified by an independent engineer, a minimum square footage of 120 square feet was recommended. Later, resulting largely from distributor and customer feedback rather than from additional testing, the minimum recommendation was increased to 1,000 square feet. This was intended to deter usage in small or unventilated spaces. More advanced testing recently conducted at a prestigious university test facility showed that for ventilated spaces occupied by people and/or pets with average air quality, a minimum of 500 square feet is acceptable. Spot cleaning by temporarily placing the unit in an unoccupied area with the door closed (as in basements) also is acceptable.

1. Get your hands dirty…plant something green.

2. Read “Unbowed” which you can buy at www.amazon.com/Unbowed-Wangari-Maathai/dp/0307263487. 

Cut and paste the following link to learn more about her   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wangari_Maathai   “Wancari Maatha nobel prize reciepient. Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai (born April 1, 1940 in Ihithe village, Tetu division, Nyeri District of Kenya) is an environmental and political activist. In 2004 she became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for “her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.” Dr. Maathai is also an elected member of Parliament and served as Assistant Minister for Environment and Natural Resources in the government of President Mwai Kibaki between January 2003 and November 2005. She is of Kikuyu ethnicity”

Photo from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Wangari_Maathai_potrait_by_Martin_Rowe.jpg

3. See my page on this BLog “How to Plant a tree for Earthday 2008″

4. Check your carbon footprint /use a Carbon Calculator go to http://www.americanforests.org/campaigns/shaklee/

5. If you have already planted a tree the Environmental Protection Agency is tracking this information.  Help them out, cut and paste the following web address and fill in their questionaire http://www.shakleemilliontrees.org/environQuestionnaire.html

6.  Walk instead of driving -Consolidate errands so you complete them all in one car journey or if possible, ride a bike or walk to your destination.

7.Switch your light bulbs  from traditional to energy-efficient, compact fluorescent light bulbs. Go to  www.homedepot.com they are having a big sale on energy efficient lightbulbs and have a contest running in honor of Earth Day.

8. Offset your Carbon Footprint by visiting  AmericanForests.org to complete a short survey to tally your CO2 emissions and then donate enough trees to offset your carbon footprint. It’s so easy!

9. Remember the 3 Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle)  Reduce your consumption of natural resources by reusing and recycling as much as possible. Consider the garbage can a last-resort option to be used sparingly.

10.  BYOB (Bring your own bag) Whether you’re shopping at a grocery or department store, bring your own bag. There is enough petroleum in 14 plastic bags to drive a car one mile. Keep it for the car by bringing your own bag.

11.  Clean Up Your Act : Use nontoxic, concentrated cleaners. Try Get Clean^TM the new natural line of household cleaners from Shaklee that are safe for you, your home and your planet. At Shaklee we believe that the small act of scouring the sink can be part of the giant act of changing the world. You can make an incredible difference by switching from conventional brands to the Get Clean Starter Kit. You’ll eliminate 108 pounds of packaging waste from landfills, 248 pounds of greenhouse gases and have the environmental equivalent of planting 10 trees. To date, consumers who’ve bought Get Clean Starter Kits have eliminated 4,247,248 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions. To learn more go to http://www.shaklee.net/greenlifebasics.

Thanks Giannifor the question about air purifiers. Every day the average adult breathes in up to 900 cubic feet of air, and The Environmental Protection Agency states that “since most people spend a majority of their lives indoors, the quality of indoor air is a major area of concern….”   Due to the way most people are living we now try to make our homes air tight. So when pollen, dander, smoke, and mold enter our homes along with chemicals from cleaning products and products brought in to the home that give off chemicals we are breathing all of this into our lungs.  So one of the most obvious fixes is to open windows as often as possible but this is a double edged sword because pollens will get in. So I have found that also using an air purifier can be especially helpful.  Since the environmental Protection agency ranks indoor air pollution among the top 5 environmental risks to public health we all must find as many ways as possible to get our air clean for our families. 

I have been hearing so much recently about indoor air pollution.  I am especially paying attention since I bought new windows last year and although helpful to the fuel bill they do not allow for fresh air.  I have been after my kids to open the windows frequently for fresh air exchange.

Apparently indoor air pollution is caused by many things such as carpets, draperies and especially cleaning products.  Many cleaning products contain chemicals like phthalates, butyl cellosive, sodium hydroxide, ammonia, and even formaldehyde.  You almost need a degree in chemistry to pronounce these names.  I have switched over to products that are safer for the environment and my family.  I was amazed when I heard that women that work out of the home or are stay at home moms have a higher rate of cancer and they attribute this to the indoor pollution. That is a pretty wild thought.  The products I have switched to are all organic based which make them healthy for my kids and the environment.  The other aspect of these organic cleaners that I really like is the fact that they are highly concentrated so a little goes a long way.  This helps so that I keep refilling my spritz bottles and I am putting less plastic into my town waste facility. 

I want my kids to see how important it is to think green.  They will soon be consumers themselves and the choices they make will also effect indoor air pollution.