Go Green With Tara Burner

Read the full review here now.

It’s a “must read“.

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Mother’s Day is this Sunday.
This year forego giving the mainstream gifts and opt for either homemade gifts from items you already have at home, or do something rather than buying something.

Use ecards rather than store bought cards. You can send some great cards from Care2.com. By sending ecards from Care2.com you’re making a difference by generating donations to a variety of organizations as well as the green factor of sending ecards rather than store bought ones.

Plant flowers or garden with your mother. It’s better than buying cut flowers that will ultimately die. Planting living flowers and plants is a lifelong gift and you can bond, enjoy each other while you’re doing this.

Give a green gift bag there are many green gift bags to choose from.

Go for a walk with your mom. Spend some time, walking, talking, bonding…simply enjoying.

Buy organic, fair trade or natural products for mom this year.

Cook mom a meal at home from locally grown foods rather than take her out.

No matter what you end up doing…ENJOY!

There are many sources of indoor air pollution:
pets, tobacco smoke, dust mites, food smells, cleaners, furniture or cabinets made of pressed wood products, damp carpets, pesticides, hobby supplies, mold, off gassing from carpets/paint/furniture…the list goes on.

Learn about the dangers of home air fresheners and what you can use instead of the commercially chemically made ones.

Below are some ways you can improve your home’s indoor air quality.

Open the windows - get some fresh air into your house. Ventilation can greatly improve indoor air quality.

Change your furnace/AC air filter monthly. Filters trap all kinds of ’stuff’, so you want to change those monthly.

Don’t use chemical air fresheners. Most air fresheners are laden with chemicals. Consider purchasing natural tubs of carbon or Soi Candles instead.

Use non-toxic home cleaners. More and more people are coming to realize that standard home cleaning supplies contain many chemicals which are dangerous to breathe or touch.

24 oz Scented All Purpose Cleaner - $ 6.99
From: Seaside Naturals, Inc.

Consider getting rid of your carpets- or get natural carpets. Carpeting can be one of the biggest air-quality culprits in your home: most carpets are treated with chemicals that off-gas and carpets act as traps for dirt, allergens, mold and other nasty items. If you can stand to part with your carpet, it will improve your air quality. If you must have carpet, consider a natural area rug.

Consider getting a room air filters or purifier for your home. A HEPA filter can seriously reduce the presence of toxins, allergens, and particulate matter in your home.

Limit or remove vinyls from your home. Did you know that your vinyl shower curtain is releasing toxic gas? Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has been found to discharge softening chemicals called phthalates into home air, increasing respiratory problems.

If you’re doing any painting or staining, be sure to use no- or low-VOC paints and finishes. Volatile organic compounds are found in most traditional paints and their off-gassing can be dangerous for your family.

Fix any roof leaks. Rain and high humidity can bring moisture indoors, creating dampness, mold and mildew. Dampness alone, not just mold, is associated with higher risk of wheezing, coughing & asthma symptoms.
Check your roof, foundation and basement or crawlspace once a year to catch leaks or moisture problems and route water away from your home’s foundation. Fix problems as quickly as possible to prevent unhealthy dampness from entering your home.

strong>Make your home a smoke-free zone. Besides being a health issue to the person smoking and anyone around them, it adds to your indoor air pollution.

You can win a 20 oz stainless steel bottle at green my world contest now compliments of GoGreenHomeMakeover.com

Green Irene says: We love these reusable bottles because they are made of non-toxic stainless steel, making them both durable and easy to clean. They also come in great colors, and can be easily attached to a backpack or bag with a carabiner. (The carabiner can be removed easily if not wanted). These 20 oz bottles have NO potentially toxic plastic liners, making them completely eco-friendly and safe

Feminine hygiene products are always a ‘touchy’ subject to discuss…I mean c’mon who really wants to discuss it? Especially openly…but none the less, here I am to discuss a feminine hygiene product…Luna Pads.

When “Aunt Flo” comes to visit, you now have a safe natural alternative to main stream feminine hygiene products. Additionally, it helps keep waste out of landfills and septic systems.

I’ve never liked wearing pads and apparently still don’t, and this may be TMI (too much info) but if you wear thongs, pads (be it regular pads or regular Luna pads are not the way to go).
Luna Pads are soft with pretty designs though and eco friendly so those are pluses in my book.

And the starter kits are excellent:
It’s value-priced introductory kit that allows you to try both Pads (for light and average flow) and Pantyliners (for daily needs or very light flow). Perfect as a gift for friends you’d like to introduce to Lunapads.

Contains: 1 Maxi Pad, 1 Maxi Liner, 1 Maxi Wing Liner, 1 Mini Pad, 1 Mini Liner, 1 Mini Wing Liner, 1 Mini Pantyliner and 1 Teeny Pantyliner, all conveniently packaged in a bonus mesh laundry bag.

Luna Pads are designed for light to very heavy menstrual flow, as well as light or stress incontinence.

Liners are what make Lunapads so uniquely versatile and functional. Their Liner-on-top design allows you to change Liners quickly & easily throughout the day without having to change your entire Pad. Made of 2 layers of highly absorbent fleece, Liners are placed on top of the Pad, and held in place with ric-rac bands. Customize absorbency by layering multiple Liners for heavier flow, or skip the Liner altogether for very light flow.

So, while I personally am not going to be making the change I think those who wear “normal wears” may find these a wonderful alternative while helping the environment. If I ever opt to change from thongs to regular wears then I’d gladly use the Luna Pads.

If you want to enter to win a  Sampler Pack so you can give Luna Pads a try just answer this question:

“What is the name of Lunapads’ program to supply African schoolgirls with washable pads?”
email me the answer along with your name and if you win you’ll be notified.

UPDATE:
I was just informed by the owner that they DO make a thong style Luna Pad!

Can read it in full here

or here:

I was featured today in The Sun Sentinel’s Green Insert.

I tried to locate it online but haven’t found the article yet so here’s an image of it.

Click on it to open full size in new window.

When you clean your home, use
non toxic cleaners or ones you’ve made yourself.

You can read more information about the effects of mainstream household cleaners

here.

If you don’t want to make your own cleaners, then try natural non toxic cleaners for your cleaning needs.

TheGreenTipOfTheDay.com just launched.
There will be a new green tip every day for you.

This week’s contest prize is a Turtle Flower Pot from DonnasMailboxesAndMore.com

Just in time for spring!

This adorable Turtle with his running sneakers is just waiting to race into your garden this spring! This Turtle Flower pot measures aprox. 10″long x 5″ tall, the opening of the terra cotta flower pot is 4 1/2″ and the pot is 4 1/2″ tall. The turtle and pot are all hand painted with acrylic paint and sealed with and exterior varnish to protect them from the elements. The inside of the turtle is glazed with a clear glaze. Please allow 7 to 10 days for your Turtle Flower Pot to be handcrafted and hand painted before being shipped.

Enter here

This is a video review of Soap Nuts, a 100% natural laundry cleaner.