Back in 1970's, "Bein' Green" was a famous song sung by Kermit the Frog. In the song, Kermit first believes "it's not that easy bein' green" until he comes to the realization that being green is actually beautiful, and it is cool.
Today, when you hear "Bein' Green", "Going Green", "Go Green" or "Green". Whatever the name it's been given, it is the start of the revolution of saving our plant and saving our lives. 'Going green' means recycling, not being wasteful, saving money, eating healthy, and creating a safe home environment for our families and pets. I call it "Going Back to Basics," when life was not compromised with harmful ingredients to clean our homes, or to make our food look pretty. It was a time when the personal care products we used had ingredients that we could pronounce.
My journey of "Going Green" began when I had the opportunity to try a skin care line made of certified organic ingredients – it actually had the USDA ORGANIC symbol on the bottle. It was non-toxic, made out of fruit and vegetable extracts, herbs and essential oils! When I learned that these types of personal care products were available, my next step was to 'green' my home cleaning products including my laundry.
Why switch to green cleaning? It is good for our family and for our environment. The most compelling reason is that there are hardly any government regulations on what chemicals can be put in our cleaning or the personal care products millions of Americans buy and use on a daily basis. How many times have you or someone you know, used a cleaning product that is so toxic, the label gives instruction to provide "proper ventilation" so as not to be overcome by the fumes? In some instances, even with "proper ventilation," one may require time to collect their senses or may experience coughing attacks.
"Green" families benefit because they are not exposing their children to harmful chemicals that may contribute to asthma, allergies or autism. They also are protecting their pets from the potential increase of infections or skin disease. Young children and babies often spend time playing on floors where toxins have been used to 'sanitize' the area. Frequently, these children innocently have their hands in their mouth, thus transferring certain amounts of toxins in to their body. Pets also are exposed because they walk in the sanitized area and may have a tendency to lick their paws.
What can be done to make a home clean and safe? As a start, read the label on the product that is currently being used. Get to know what is actually in the product. Next, when the questionable brand or merchandise runs out, restock it with a non-toxic item. In many instances, one may find these items in the store they currently shop in. Many stores today are carrying green line products, particularly for the home. Look for such brands as Earth Friendly, Seventh Generation, Bi-O-Kleen and other green companies.
To save even more money, cleaning products can be made at home, which is not only easy, but also fun! Here is a recipe for creating an All-Purpose/Surface Spray Cleaner:
Here is a recipe for creating an All-Purpose/Surface Spray Cleaner:
2 teaspoon of washing soda or borax
¼ teaspoon of liquid castile soap
Hot water
Place the washing soda or borax in a 16 oz spray bottle, fill the bottle with hot water, shake until the washing soda or borax dissolved, and then at the soap. Spray on surfaces, let it sit a minute or two, and wipe off with a sponge or microfiber cloth.
Whether products are made at home or purchased in the store, Bein' Green is cool and really is easy!
References:
Green This – by Deirdre Imus
Green Up Your Cleanup by Jill Potvin Schoff
Renee Winston, founder of NuVision Wellness and The Detox Challenge, is a board certified holistic health counselor. In her practice, she offers wellness programs, cooking classes, teleclasses and workshops to support and educate clients to create a relationship with food that supports their true health, well being and living a green lifestyle. She is also one of the Senior Executive Directors for The Network of Business Women.
Inserted from <http://www.networkofbusinesswomencanada.com/In_This_Issue.html>
