It's just a hunk of Metal

I tease my husband about his "baby".... his car. It is very pretty, bright red. But, it is a hunk of metal. That's how I have always viewed cars. They get me from Point A to Point B. Hopefully, it doesn't break down, have a flat tire or any other crisis. The chances of getting lost are greatly reduced with my GPS, but it is not perfect. It does save gas so I'm not driving around aimlessly trying to find where I am going. I try not to idle the car, wasting gas either. I consolidate my trips as much as possible too. But, let's face it- we all spend alot of time in our cars. Especially if you have kids. So, our car is just a little habitat like our homes are.  We should take care of our environment inside of our cars too. Air your car out. Same as your house- declutter your car. Empty trash, pick up water bottles (recycle) and coffee cups. Bring in that coat in the back seat since last winter. Then clean the seats.  Vacuum the carpet and the ceiling. If it is really dirty, you can clean your carpet or floor mats with a water/ vinegar solution. Add a little hydrogen peroxide on stains. Dust your dashboard with a soft cloth with some of the vinegar solution on it. Clean your windshield and mirrors. I promise just doing that will make you feel lighter and less stressed. Clutter in our cars is the same as in our house. It drags us down. Surround yourself with things that are pleasurable. Take good care of yourself!

Green Tip:

Do NOT use air fresheners, especially the cardboard ones, in your car. The fragrance is actually toxic. The sprays are even worse. The propellants are toxic, and are inhaled in the close quarters of the car even more. They can cause headaches. If you need to make your car smell better, put a couple of drops of real, natural essence of oil on your floor mat or on a piece of cloth that you can place under the seat. Refresh it as needed. Rosemary calms anger (if you are prone to road rage!) and promotes clear thinking. Geranium lifts depression and stabilizes the emotions. Experiment with the essence you really like!

Feng Shui for the Car:

As always, Feng Shui is all about good energy and the proper flow of energy. Make sure you maintain your car and keep it in good condition. The windows are the "eyes" of a car, so keeping them clean allows good energy to enter and keeps your vision great!  Hang a round faceted crystal on your rear view mirror. It represents the Water element and makes it easier to handle frustrations (traffic, other drivers, getting lost). The crystal also brings in very good energy. If you have gotten into minor accidents, had trouble with your car, you might consider space clearing it. Contact me to ask about it! Also, you can find out what color car is right for you if you are thinking of buying a new one!

Beauty is not just Skin Deep

We all use them, some more than others. Cosmetics. Beauty products. Lotions and potions. I wish I had the money I have spent on all of them. I have bought cheap ones, I have bought better ones. And why is it that when you get them home, they never make you look as good as in the store? Now that my smoking days are over, I noticed a slight improvement in my skin. So, I launched into a new quest for a whole new face. I had a "makeover", bought a bunch of products and after a couple of weeks, looked in the mirror and found the same face as before. Sigh. 

Then I started reading. Do you know what they put in cosmetics? No, of course you don't - because they have no obligation to tell you! They can put anything in them and get by with it. There are no government standards for safety and for testing of cosmetics. Toxic ingredients used in many cosmetics, even ones that are labeled "natural". The argument is that they only have minute quantities in them. Think about how much women use over their lifetimes. It is a huge amount. And they are absorbed through the skin. They accumulate in our systems. They are passed on to our unborn or nursing children. At a time when untested chemicals are on the rise, so is breast cancer, reproductive disorders, endocrine disruption, and neurological disorders. 

The worst toxic ingredients found in personal care products are:

Mercury - often listed as thimerosal 

Placenta and placental extracts - can be from animal sources

Lead Acetate

Petrochemicals

Phthalates

Hydroquinone 

Nanoparticles

Acrylamide

Ethylene Oxide

These are used in everything from lipstick, mascara, lotions, shampoo, shaving cream, hair remover, hair dyes, relaxants, cosmetic sponges, nail polish and remover, children's bath products, fragrance, ointments, hair sprays, sunscreens, soaps, mineral makeups, mousse, gels, and foundations.

I recommend checking all of your beauty products and the products your family uses at:

http://www.safecosmetics.org

and for information on products linked to breast cancer:

http://www.breastcancerfund.org

I know it is really time-consuming, to research all of the choices, or to stand in the store and read every label, but BEFORE YOU BUY IT - READ WHAT IT IS!! Most of the products in the big box stores (Wal-Mart, Target, Macy's, etc.) should just be avoided. Unfortunately, the more well-known the brand, the more likely they use toxic ingredients in them. 

There are a few products to be found in health-food stores, and in the "Natural Food" section of the grocery store, but they are really hard to find. You really have to pick and choose. Some of them use tricky ingredient labeling. Just because it lists "Natural Soy" as an ingredient (sounds nice, right?)doesn't mean it doesn't also have some of the highest rated toxic chemicals in them. There are websites you can order from. I may be forced to do that, but I like to smell, touch and test before I buy. So, as I find good products, I will let you know. If you find something you like, please check it on the safe cosmetics website and let me know!

Feng Shui Connection:

As I have said before- Clear the Clutter. Use less, buy less. This goes for faces as well as homes. Gentler, purer and safer products are better for us and for our "energies". The safer products may be a little more expensive, but you don't have to buy 20 kinds of shampoos. One gets the job done.  Your kids don't need fancy bubbles to keep them entertained in a tub of water. A couple of toys or even safe containers will do. And No More Clutter in the bathroom! Very good Feng Shui!

Green Stuff:

Pay attention to the packaging your beauty products come in too. Less is definitely more here. Packaging from 100% post consumer recycled products is best, plastic is worst. And bring your reusable bag shopping too! On this topic, if you want a really cute and fashionable bag to take to the mall, try out the bags from: www.thegreenloop.com. They have adorable ones for $8.50 each, or in 5-packs too. Somehow, I just don't want to  take my reusable grocery bags when I'm shopping for clothes, CD's or shoes! 

Happy Shopping!

What is lurking in your home?

Cleaning your home is supposed to get rid of all kinds of germies, dirt, dust, bacteria and mold. But, how many cleaners do you have to do these tasks? There are literally hundreds of cleaning supplies out there, and most are toxic. They stay on the surfaces you clean, get on you and your kids, your pets, the air in your home and even combine with other cleaners to produce who knows what. Some products contain possible carcinogens, others can cause asthma, bronchial and eye irritations. Spray disenfectants (and any type of sprays) are very bad for your respiratory system. Even hospitals are starting to recognize this, and have found that when patients are not subjected to toxic cleaning products their recovery time is shorter. Young children and those with immune deficiencies are the most susceptible. Kids crawl on the floor and touch surfaces that have been "cleaned" and then put their hands in their mouths. Most cleaning products are poisonous, and should simply not be in the house if you have children or pets. I know no one wants to have to make a call to Poison Control. Kids can get into anything, even a cabinet with a child-proof latch. When those cleaning products are washed down the drain or flushed down the toilet in the cleaning process, you are contaminating our water supply. That's the bad news. The good news is that there are alternatives that have low or no toxicity and they will save you so much money! What you save in cleaning products you can then spend on organic foods. You and your family will be so much healthier.

Feng Shui Facts:

Part of the practice of Feng Shui is Bau Biologie, or the study of the holistic relationship between buildings and human beings. Creating healthy places for us to live and work is the goal of Feng Shui. Chemicals used within the home are in almost every cleaning product. And, if you can smell it, it is in the air of your home. Household chemicals that contain toxic chemicals are aerosol sprays, ammonia, anything with bleach, carpet shampoos, drain and oven cleaners, glue, spot removers, laundry detergents, and pesticides. 

Green Solutions:

Many of the cleaners you have in your cabinet can be replaced with simple, inexpensive and non-toxic ingredients. The following list may help in getting you started. Just quit buying all of those commercial cleaners. Excessive phobias about germs are just that- phobic. We DO NOT need a sterile environment to live. Anything that is labeled germ-killing probably has triclosan in it, which is a pesticide. It is a suspected endocrine disruptor and really does not do any better job at removing germs than plain old soap and water. If you habitually clean with bleach, stop. Use products containing essential oils such as tea tree, thyme, eucalyptus, or grapefruit seed. 

Furniture polish 2 parts Olive oil mixed with 1 part lemon juice; or walnut oil

Window Cleaner/ 2 tsp white vinegar in 1 quart warm water

Floor Cleaner

General Cleaner & 1/2 cup borax in gallon of water

Disinfectant

Mold remover Hydrogen peroxide ( Also works on many laundry stains)

Scouring Powder Borax, baking soda or table salt on a damp sponge

If stains are difficult, try Bon Ami

Toilet Bowl cleaner/ Sprinkle baking soda and drizzle with vinegar

Deodorizer

Drain opener Pour 1/2 cup salt down the drain, followed with boiling water, flush with

hot tap water

Silver polish Soak silver in salt water in an aluminum container, wipe clean

Stainless steel cleaner Baking soda with vinegar

Liquid Soap Castile soap (It's made from vegetable products)

Send me ideas for your favorite green cleaners! If you just HAVE to buy products, at least buy

less toxic ones like those from Seventh Generation, Ecover, etc. Begley's Best can be ordered online.

Indoor Air

It is that time of the year here in Central NY.  Apple and pumpkin time. Leaf raking. Getting the house and yard ready for hibernation. We finally had to turn the heat on. Most people are now closing up the house for the winter. Since allergies are a big problem, we pretty much keep the windows closed all year round. So, the air quality is less than optimum in our house. Stale air. Old air. I use to buy air fresheners, scented candles, potpourri and plug in air fresheners. Until I found out all of the chemicals they put into the air. They include flammable propellants such as butane and propane, terpenes, benzene, other volatile  organic compounds, petroleum distillates such as napthalene and chemicals like phenol, cresol, and paradichlorobenzene, and phthalates. The airborne fumes of air fresheners linger in the air where they are inhaled, for a long time. Manufacturers are not required to list exactly what is in them and most hide their ingredients behind generic terms like "fragrance" and "scent agent".  So many chemicals in the air within our homes are toxic. They can come from paint, carpet, dry cleaning, household cleaners and yes, air fresheners. So, before you buy another air freshener, think again.

Feng Shui Fact:

Air quality reflects the health of our home. Spraying or plugging in air fresheners usually just masks the source of the problem. Potpourri should never be used in the home. Dried flowers or plant material has had its moisture removed and is considered "dead". Dead things of any kind are not good feng shui. 

Green Thing:

Better choices of helping out our home's air quality include cleaning the offensive odor causer: trash cans, diaper pails, refrigerators, cat litter pans, dog bedding,etc. Using hydrogen peroxide for cleaning helps, or vinegar is a natural antifungal and antibacterial agent. Baking soda removes acid odors. Natural mineral borax is a great odor eliminator. Lemon juice is a good deodorizer. If you really want a freshening spray, combine a few drops of an essential oil in a spray bottle with a couple cups of water. Put a drop of the essential oil of your choice on a warm light bulb or in a pan of water on the stove. You can also use orange or lemon rinds,or cinnamon sticks in water on the stove.  Choose soy or beeswax candles instead of petroleum-based paraffin wax. Use them sparingly. Use an air purifier that has a activated charcoal filter. Don't use devices that generate ozone, a hazardous pollutant. 

What other natural scents can you create? Let me know what ones are your favorites!

Clothes make the Man (or Woman!)

I ran into a neighbor the other day and he was so excited. He rarely buys clothes, but had just bought a ton of new things. Women experience the "new clothes shopping high", but not usually men. I had just bought a few new things at the mall that were on sale. I have been trying to buy a couple items at a time myself, since the weather has turned cool. So, I thought about how new clothes make me feel. Not as fat, not as old, a little better about myself. I have also become more aware of issues concerning clothes. I am now using biodegradable and non-toxic laundry detergent, looking for certified 100% organic cotton, and going through my closet with a vengence. The eco-friendly detergents are just as effective as the regular ones, and have none of the chemicals in them. Think about those chemicals in the fabric that is next to your skin, your kids' skin.  Not to mention the water supply. Dry cleaning your clothes is very bad. They actually submerge them in petroleum based liquid chemicals (PERC - a chlorinated hydrocarbon). The chemicals evaporate into the air. You should not breathe them or have them in your home. Look for clothes that can be washed.

The production of the materials that your clothes are made of may subject the environment and you to all kinds of nasty chemicals. Growing cotton conventionally uses the most pesticides on a farm product in the world. Those pesticides and the fertilizers used contain cancer-causing agents. Look for organic cotton or wool, silk, cashmere or alpaca. Hemp clothing is also available, but you have to really like it. I find it a little scratchy. Clothing made of bamboo is also available, but it is manufactured on the other side of the world and so much energy is needed to get it to us, I am not sure it is worth it. Look for natural materials, without dyes and not mixed with synthetics. Surprisingly, Wal-Mart and Target are reportedly offering organic cotton clothing. Levi's is now offering organic cotton jeans. The internet is just full of all kinds of choices - just Google organic cotton clothing. I'm looking for infant clothing and bedding now. (Second grandson will be here in January!)

Green Thing:

If you buy new clothes, clean out your closet. Get rid of the clothes in there that are gently used, but need to go. (No, you need to accept that you will never be that size again!) But, please, do NOT just throw them out! Donate your clothes to the Salvation Army, Jobs Plus, Dress for Success or the Cinderella Project ( in Syracuse). Donations can be made to disaster relief efforts, churches or women's shelters.  Also Men's Warehouse, 3444 Erie Blvd. East in Dewitt accepts donations of suits, sport coats, slacks, ties and belts. For each suit donated, they will donate a new dress shirt. You will get 10% off your next purchase, too. Great deal.

If you are having a garage sale, try to sell clothes. Sometimes you can get a little cash for them. Better Deal!

Feng Shui Thought:

Organizing your closet is just good Feng Shui. Did you know that the state of your closet mirrors your financial situation? Old, unorganized and just a mess? In today's economy , you definitely need organized, clean and reflecting a great image. Look at each item with a very discriminating eye. Have you worn it in the past 6 months? Do you have other items that can be worn with it? Does it fit well? Is it still in fashion? Vintage is great, weird-looking is not. Look at the fabric content. Does it still look new, or is it faded, pilled, or in disrepair? Wash it up, fix it, or get rid of it. 

Live Simply

Don't you hear a lot of people complain how complicated their lives are? 

Stress. Not enough time. The economy. Schedules. Lost items. Kids. 

Simple living. A nice goal. We all say we would like that, but how many of us really plan it, create it for ourselves and our families, and live simply? Now, I don't profess we should give away all of our worldly goods and live off the land. I like my creature comforts too. You know how I feel about coffee. But look around you right now. How many things in your room do you really, really need? Have they just been sitting in the same place for so long that you don't even notice them anymore? I spent the first 30 years of my marriage acquiring stuff. For the last 5 years, I've been trying to get rid of a lot of it. You start to trip over it, squeeze by it, then kick it. OK. Enough is enough.

Feng Shui Fact:

Clutter is the mortal enemy of Feng Shui. Because the flow of energy in your home is like the flow of blood in your veins, blockages are pretty harmful. When you have clutter in closets, drawers, on desks, and everywhere else you are dragging down the energy in your space, and therefore your energy.

Most people tell me they would like to get rid of their clutter, but it is just too overwhelming. Where do you start? Just start. Start small. Clean out just one drawer. Take 15 minutes. Set a timer. When you finish you will feel lighter, really good. I promise you will.

Green Thing:

I've started to really take a close look at items in my home. What is its purpose? Do I use it? Do I even really want it? What is it made of? But, before you de-clutter and go tossing everything in the garbage, think about recycling it. Magazines can be donated to doctor's offices, hospitals and senior citizen centers. Clothes can be dropped off at donation centers. Just abut anything can find a new home. Find non-profit groups in your area, and find out what they need. Household items may be accepted at a Women's Shelter (Vera House here in Syracuse). If you have an item that Aunt Tillie gave you, and you just don't love it, pass it on to the friend who once admired it. It just might be more their style. They might just love it. 

Now, before you buy ANYTHING ELSE, think about it. Do you absolutely need it? How was it made? What is it made of? What is it packaged in? Is there a greener alternative? If there is a choice between two items, pick the one with less plastic packaging (especially if it is the kind you need a saw to get open) or with less toxic ingredients. If you can't pronounce it, don't buy it. 

There ARE alternatives. Just because it is convenient and available doesn't mean it is the only option. Just because you have always used it doesn't mean it is safe. The more I look for options, the more I find that going green just means Living Simply.

Green Products:

Planet Laundry Detergent 

Twenty Mule Team Borax (add a little to the laundry detergent) 

Related websites:

www.ocrra.com  

(Onondaga County) Great lists of recyclables. Check out the Community Collection Center.

www.givetoothers.com

(They list items needed and the charity that needs them)

www.syracuserestore.org

(If you plan to remodel, check this out. It is a good way to recycle used, but good condition items)

  

Feng Shui - What is it and Why is it Green?

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese art and science that literally means wind and water, the seen and the unseen energies in our environment. Balancing these energies in your home or office can benefit your health, your relationships, your creativity and even your finances. Feng Shui uses energy positively and effectively. 

Like Feng Shui, environmentalism is about living consciously - being aware of what we use, what we eat, what we leave in our wake.  It is giving honor to ourselves, our families, other living beings and the earth.  

Feng Shui and Eco-Friendly Living have alot in common. I am learning just how much they are similar, and how to integrate them both into my home environment. Breaking old habits, looking at my home with different options and possibilities, thinking about the food I eat, the products I choose (or choose to pass up!), and in general the way I live life. It's a minefield out there! So, making choices is hard. 

This blog is designed to be a sharing-ground for Green choices. I will pass information to you, and I hope you pass on products and tips you have tried and are happy with. Please leave comments! When ideas are also good Feng Shui, I will let you know. There will be some Feng Shui information too. If you want more info on Feng Shui than is here, you can go to my website (linked at right), e-mail me or call me. 

Feng Shui Idea:

Three rules to get started-

   1. Never have anything in your home that you don't really use, need or have to have. Just don't buy it. And if you already did, get rid of it. Sell it (on eBay, at a garage sale, etc.), give it to someone who really wants it or donate it.

   2. Never have anything in your home that is broken. Fix it or throw it out!

   3. Only have items in your home that you truly love, treasure and that bring you happiness each time you look at it. 

Green Thing:

   I have a war on plastic. It is everywhere. I wonder- what did people do before it was invented? There are so many forms of it, some of it is recyclable, some not. The little numbers in the triangle on the bottom tells if it is. It is mostly not recycled by anyone. All of it is bad. Some leaches into our food and drinks. It is toxic. It is made of non-renewable resources (petroleum). I swear it breeds in the cabinet when I try to save it. I had some fabric I didn't want anymore, so I spent an afternoon sewing some shopping bags. But, if you don't sew, buy some reusable bags. Sturdy ones that won't fall apart. Chic ones if you are a fashion forward person. Keep them in your car or by the front door so you won't forget to use them. I was a little shy about using them at my grocery store at first, but then the clerk said you wouldn't believe how many people use them. (Really??? Great!)

Now it makes me think of how NOT to use plastic bags. Like I said, they are everywhere.  I do not love them, so they are NOT good Feng Shui.