Tag Archives: Ecology

Be a Mean Green Cleaning Machine

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After the Swiffer Mop and Before the Vinegar

After the Swiffer Mop and Before the Vinegar

After the vinegar!

After the vinegar!

So I’m cleaning my apartment for the in-laws’ holiday visit and my kitchen’s tile grout looks filthy.  I use my Swiffer mop and then scrub with Clorox (the new Green Works version available in stores) to no avail.  In desperation, I seek google’s sound advice.  The solution (literally)?  One part vinegar one part water or a little baking soda paste.  It sounds homey and environmentally friendly and inexpensive, but does it really work?  Just look at the before and after pictures above!

When picking out cleaning products I try to moderate between price and environmental efficacy, so I have an assortment of ‘green’ cleaning products in my apartment.  Some work, some don’t.  But what seems to be most puzzling as peruse my way through all of the cleaning products I own is why have cleaning products in the first place?  Nearly everything I clean, as I think about it, could be easily cleaned with three fully biodegradable, non-toxic household items: lemon juice, vinegar, and baking soda.  The Do-it-yourself website, has a new Going Green topic on its side menu, has a great article called How to Clean Green which lists several recipes for green cleaners. Here are two easy and useful examples:

Carpet Spot Remover
•Cornstarch or baking soda
•Club soda
Blot the spot and apply baking soda or cornstarch immediately. When dry, blot with club soda and vacuum.

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But we can still hug any trees if we want

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This just in from the popular and timely blog NowSourcing, a Social Media Marketing company.

Treehugger brand Hugg.com, a Discovery company, has decided to close the doors on Hugg, a popular green social news site.

From Hugg.com:

PLEASE READ!

On November 17th, 2008, Hugg will no longer accept new submissions or registrations. Hugg will remain publicly viewable until the end of the year, at which time Hugg.com will be closed. The Hugg.com domain will be directed towards a new feature on the TreeHugger forums where participants will be able to post and comment on interesting green links (coming soon). We welcome you to the thriving community at the TreeHugger forums and hope you’ll join us now to carry on the discussion. Go ahead and poke around on the forums – we think you’ll like it and enjoy conversing with such a diverse group of intelligent, passionate people!

We would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to the many Hugg users who have poured time and energy into providing the community with tons of great content. Unfortunately, due to increasing maintenance costs, we can no longer provide Hugg with the resources it needs to continue.

Please email tech@treehugger.com with any questions or comments.

Thank you.

(h/t – Paul Smith)

On new urbanism

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Katrina cottage

Anatevka move over. Concerns regarding the planet’s changing climate and the ills in the national housing market are serving to energize New Urbanism, says the Congress for the New Urbanism.

The movement’s holistic approach to building and rebuilding cities and towns – uniting the art of building, the creation of community, and the conservation of the natural world – is proving a rich source of solutions and long-term value in this time of significant change.

For the first time in Austin, Texas (hometown of our celebrated healthpatio denizen Eco Rock), the 16th Annual Congress for the New Urbanism was held from April 2-6, 2008. Katherine Gregor of the Austin Chronicle says the conference has a reputation for transforming thinking and land-use patterns in cities where it’s held. Cheers from HealthPatio for the 1,500+ planners, developers and others who gathered to promote the development of walkable neighborhoods and bring sprawl to a halt. (And jeers to the absent elected officials in city and county positions who neglected to sign up for even the introductory 101 session.)

Muggle housing But will it help keep Austin weird? I think so, considering the old urbanism of Robert Moses ala Long Island New York housing for muggles project.

Earth [h]our

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Shadow of moon upon earth during eclipse

  • Shadow of moon upon earth during eclipse

    • Voluntarily plunging into an hour of darkness….no, this isn’t a thrill-seekers adrenaline boost. It is Andy Ridley’s idea for raising awareness about global warming.

    Some 2.2 million people participated in last year’s ‘Earth Hour’ in Sydney, cutting the central business district’s energy usage by more than 10 percent.

    It is hoped that the movement would expand in 2009, which would be a particularly significant year since it is the deadline for United Nations talks to determine action going forward on the topic of climate change, as set after the Kyoto Protocol.
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    The buzz about fluorescents

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    Dimmable Fluorescent Light

    Fluorescent lighting is the poster child for efficient technology and electronics. While the long white tubes were traditionally seen in large institutions, like office buildings and product warehouses, CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lighting) can now be found in household floor lamps, street lights, and ceiling fixtures in restaurants.

    According to EnergyStar.gov, CFLs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Since they’re more efficient, and a byproduct of energy consumption is heat, CFLs create less heat, making them safer to use in the home.

    These kinds of statistics are impressive, but how many typical consumers understand the science behind lighting technologies?  And further, what are the health impacts of fluorescent lights?
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    The big ask

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    Friends of the earth
    172,567 people ask you to be friends of the earth.

    How? Promote strong climate law. It is being promoted in the U.K. with Friends of the Earth spear-heading the effort, and they say it’s working.

    How?

    This promotion caught my eye because of their use of web media – you can upload your own video or animation! Some of the clips will also be chosen to appear in a short film produced by Friends of the Earth. Way cool!

    What does Friends of the Earth say about themselves?
    Friends of the Earth wants a healthy planet and a good life for everyone on it. In fact, we believe you don’t get one without the other. We are trusted and determined and have been making life better for people and the planet since 1971.

    Healthy Child ~ Healthy World

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    Healthy Child Healthy World

    I was so happy when I read this fundraising press release to assist the good efforts of Healthy Child Healthy World last Saturday, October 13. Which also happens to be my birthday! Yay for me.

    In short, a joint project between builder Tom Schey and environmentalist Kelly Meyer, the recently completed LEEDandreg Platinum certified project7ten, one of the most environmentally friendly homes in California, opens its doors for three weekends in October to educate and raise awareness about simple everyday choices and green products that can create a healthier environment.

    Three weekend open houses will benefit Healthy Child Healthy World. Even better, random drawings of eco-cool prizes such as Shaklee Get Clean Starter Kits ($150 value) will be given to a lucky few.

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