Going Green

Ready to make some eco-friendly changes, but not sure where to begin? Start with the things you do each day: chores!

Yes, even small shifts in your daily cleaning routines can have positive effects on the planet -- no extra elbow grease required. “People have a sense that with green cleaning there is more scrubbing, or it is more expensive, or it doesn’t work.

These are all myths,” says green-cleaning expert Annie B. Bond, author of Clean and Green: The Complete Guide to Non-Toxic and Environmentally Safe Housekeeping and Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living.

Add these simple tips to your daily chore toolbox and you’ll be a green, clean, dirt-fighting machine in no time: “Going green takes some time to figure out, but once you get it, you’re set for life,” says Bond.

Laundry

Go Green:

Use a detergent designed for cold water. Choosing cold water for each load saves energy (good for the planet) and money (good for your wallet). Cold-friendly detergents are formulated to fight dirt and stains just as well as their warm-water counterparts.

Go Greener:

Ditch your bleach for a better brightener, like sodium percarbonate, found in many common laundry products. While bleach pollutes our water systems and is a lung irritant, sodium percarbonate is a natural mineral that’s just as effective at getting out stains.

Dishes

Go Green:

Save water by using a dishwasher instead of sudsing your plates by hand. If washing by hand is the only option, look for foam-based soaps that use less water.

Go Greener:

If you’re buying a new machine, go for one with the ENERGY STAR rating. Then, run it only when full and skip the pre-rinse cycle. For energy-free drying, simply open the door!

Floors

Go Green:

Place a stylish and sturdy welcome mat at your door. You and your guests will track less dirt into the house, which means less vacuuming later. Taking your shoes off at the door also helps control dust and dirt.

Go Greener:

Try a steam cleaner. Cleaning with steam kills bacteria and dust mites, and it makes your floors sparkle without the use of additional cleaning agents.

Grocery Shopping

Go Green:

Bring your own reusable totes to the store. There are many cute options these days, and most grocery stores also sell them near the register. Leave a few in your trunk and stash one in your purse for unexpected trips.

Go Greener:

Buy in the bulk section of your favorite store. You’ll get the same great products without all that waste.

Photo Credit: @iStockphoto.com/Cimmerian

 

Amy Levin-Epstein is a freelance writer who’s been published in magazines like Glamour, Self and Prevention, on websites like AOL, Babble and Details.com and in newspapers like the New York Post and the Boston Globe.

Available at Amazon.com:

The Family Dinner: Great Ways to Connect with Your Kids, One Meal at a Time

Nutrition at Your Fingertips

Cookoff: Recipe Fever in America

The Ultimate Birthday Party Book: 50 Complete and Creative Themes to Make Your Kid's Special Day Fantastic!

Organized Kidz: E-Z Solutions for Clutter-Free Living

The Mom's Guide to Growing Your Family Green

Sara Snow's Fresh Living: The Essential Room-by-Room Guide to a Greener, Healthier Family and Home

The Language of Interior Design

The Get Organized Answer Book: Practical Solutions for 275 Questions on Conquering Clutter, Sorting Stuff, and Finding More Time and Energy

 

 

Copyright © 2011 Studio One Networks. All rights reserved.