Grace’s Blog

Environmentally friendly green tips are available to those that choose to search. 

There are many people who are suffering now because of the economy.  Money is tight in many households.  It’s a good time to go green.  Going green can save you money.

Have you ever considered that the “ultra” soft toilet tissue you are using could be harmful to the environment?  They also cost more.

Did you know these ultra soft tissues are made from virgin fiber and bleached with chlorine?   Using toilet tissue brands made from 100 percent recycled fiber would be a better choice and your delicate behind will not suffer.

Those on septic systems know the ultra soft tissues can really clog things up.  Think of the savings of not having a plumber un-clogging the lines and pumping out the gunk.

Save money by visiting your local library instead of buying books.  It’s free and it’s green.

Did you ever think that your dishwasher could be environmentally friendly?  Studies have shown that running your dishwasher actually helps the environment by using less water than washing dishes by hand. 

To conserve water, energy and money, run the dishwasher when full. Every time you conserve, it’s money in your pocket.

Put a lid on the pot when boiling water.  According to Bill Nye the Science Guy/NOVA, if everyone in the U.S. household did this just once, we’d save up to $2,212,175.00!

Use rechargeable batteries.  They may cost more in the beginning, but over time you will save over single use batteries. 

Buy in bulk.  It reduces packaging and waste plus less trips to the store, less gas in your car and more money left in your pocket. 

Kids spend an enormous amount of time playing video games.  Send them outside to play.  Studies have shown that children with ADHD who went for walks outdoors in natural settings raised their attentiveness scores higher than those who walked city streets.

How does that save the environment?  Video-game consoles are estimated to use 16 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.  That is about four times the output of Hoover Dam.

Another up-side to playing out doors—a dose of nature can be as effective as a dose of Ritalin.  Playing out doors does not have the negative side effects of a drug.

More environmentally friendly green tips include: turning off the computer at night and powering down when not in use during the day; washing clothes in warm or cold water instead of hot; pay bills on-line; use environmentally friendly and safe personal care products. 

Did you know some toothpastes share the same ingredients as toilet bowl cleaners?  Now that’s an interesting note.  Perhaps some manufacturers of toothpastes consider the inside of your mouth to be the same as a toilet. 

Plant a garden or buy locally grown food.  Use recycled building materials. When remodeling, donate your good condition disassembled building materials to Habitat for Humanity’s retail ReStores.

For years, our family has used SAFE, POWERFUL, GREEN HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS.

We invite you join us.

 Shaklee Dist.

I recently had a conversation with a woman who really wants to do the right thing and care for the environment.  Her solution is to make her own “green” cleaners.

Great idea, but doesn’t that take a lot of time and effort?  She agreed it did and she didn’t always have the time to do it.

Have you ever used vinegar to clean?  It leaves a really nice “pickle” smell.

Spokane County, Washington, has banned the use of dishwasher detergents that contain phosphates.  Phosphates get into the waterways and cause the algae to grow out of control which then sucks the oxygen out of the water and the fish die.

Some phosphate free products do not clean as well as homemakers have come to expect. 

Women have started crossing the border, the Idaho border, and buying trunk loads of cleaners, especially dishwasher detergent, and are bringing them back home to their friends and neighbors.

Gives a whole new meaning to “thunder road,” only this time who would expect it is dishwasher detergents instead of booze.

Years ago, long before the now popular trend of using “green” products, I was introduced to a “green” cleaner by a friend who pestered me endlessly until I tried it.  When I did, I liked it and it became a family favorite. 

Caring for the environment wasn’t a big issue then.  The term “green” wasn’t in our vocabulary.  I used the product because it worked, was economical and I liked it.

Fast forward thirty-seven years.  Our family is still using this “GREEN CLEANER” plus other “green” cleaners in the line.  We have effortlessly helped protect the environment and saved tons of money.

How much?  It is estimated I would spend nearly $482 for the equivalent amount of all-purpose cleaner, or $12,000 for the equivalent amount of window cleaner or $144 for the equivalent amount of degreaser this one 16 oz. super concentrated cleaner would replace.

Besides the money saved, the sales of these “green, safe, powerful” cleaners in the year 2008 kept 10,230,732 pounds of packaging waste out of landfills and 23,492,792 pounds of greenhouse gas was eliminated from the environment.

Already this year, 2009, 38 million pounds of packaging waste has been kept out of landfills and 88 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions have been eliminated.

Add this interesting detail…the purchase of the “green” cleaner I love has alone eliminated the equivalent of 2.7 BILLION bottles of conventional 26 ounce window cleaner!!  If placed end to end, those bottles would wrap around the earth 18 TIMES!

Some of the benefits we have experienced:  A septic tank that never has to be pumped even after 25 years of us living in our home.  Our clothes last longer and we have very few if any plumbing problems.  There are no toxic fumes from household cleaners to inhale.

To learn more about these products read this edition of Making a Difference!, click here

Shaklee Dist.