I may receive a commission if you purchase something mentioned in this post. See more details here.Waste reduction starts at the store. If you don’t buy it, you can’t waste it. But obviously we all have to buy stuff. So make sure that what you buy will have a minimal impact on the planet. Borrow. […]
Reduce Your Trash
When it comes to saving the environment, a big factor is how much waste you produce. A popular heading I saw at this year’s State Fair was “Reduce Waste: If not you, who?” I grew up learning “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” but it can be hard to implement into certain areas of our life. If you […]
P.S. Shopping is okay!
Now, I know I heavily emphasized homemade in this series about transitioning to a sustainable, healthy, eco-friendly household. I do truly believe that is the best option. It is more cost effective and you know exactly what is in your product and where the ingredients came from. However, I know first hand that it is […]
We Still Have a Long Way to Go – Phase Twelve
It’s been a two month long journey for my family to get to this point. We’ve replaced a lot of commercial products containing harmful chemicals with homemade, natural products that are good for our bodies and the environment. But just because I’ve gone through all the recipes I’ve had and now have to go back […]
Pamper Your Face – Phase Eleven
Even the natural, eco-conscious woman (and man) can enjoy some pampering. Here are some good, homemade remedies made from ingredients you may already have. But don’t limit yourself to this list! There are all sorts of recipes out on the internet and in books. Explore and have fun! Exfoliant: There are many, many recipes out […]
Homemade Deodorant – Phase Ten
Last week I made the homemade deodorant from My Healthy Green Family (link removed because blog no longer exists). I made her updated recipe without kaolin clay and I replaced the cocoa butter with shea butter, because that’s what I had. I was a little worried because shea butter is softer at room temperature, but […]
Homemade Toothpaste (DIY Earthpaste) – Phase Nine
Update 2/5/15: I have now been using this homemade toothpaste recipe for 2 1/2 years. I have never strayed from it and I love it. Every time I go to the dentist, I hear rave reviews about my teeth! After so long with such a great toothpaste, I feel like it’s time to update this […]
Homemade Laundry Detergent – Phase Eight
Update: I’ve since learned that you want to avoid using soap in laundry detergent because it can cause buildup that inhibits absorption. See my Zero Waste Cleaning page for my current recommendations. Today we are going to go back to My Healthy Green Family to look at her recipe for homemade laundry detergent. Not only […]
A Squeaky Clean House, Part 2 – Phase Seven
A good rule is that when vinegar doesn’t work, use baking soda. This is why I buy vinegar by the gallon and baking soda in 13.5 lb bags. Baking soda is good at removing grease and oil. That’s why it’s in your homemade shampoo! Depending on the mess and how long it’s been there, you […]
A Squeaky Clean House, Part 1 – Phase Six
Vinegar is magic. That is all you need to know. Okay, I’ll elaborate. Vinegar is an amazing cleaning tool. If you have vinegar and water, you can clean a lot. We have horribly hard water, but with the help of vinegar, we can get even our stainless steel clean! Once, I was soaking something in […]