Awhile ago we bought a book full of natural recipes for health ailments, house cleaners, beauty products, and more. Here are a few:
Cough Relief:
1 Cup boiling water
2 tbsp dried thyme
1/2 Cup honey
PMS/Cramps
Avoid Caffeine and sugar. the end.
There are these awesome herbal pills called Dong Quai that work great. You can get them from any health food store. You take them 5 days before and everyday leading up to your period.
Facial Sauna
2.5 liters boiling water
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1/4 cup fresh peppermint- we used a peppermint t-bag cut open
1/2 lemon, sliced
Steep altogether for 5 minutes after water has boiled. Set bowl on table, put head into bowl and cover bowl and head with towel as to create a sauna. Stay under towel for 10 minutes. Feels awesome!
Wood furniture cleaner
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Mix together in a jar and shake well. Apply with cloth.
Those are just some of the ones we have tried and really enjoy. Hope you like them too!
Cheers to being green
Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Tuesday, 17 January 2012
green grocery shopping 101
there are many ways to be green when grocery shopping and the first one that i love is using re-usable grocery bags. you can buy them almost anywhere since being 'organic' is kind of trendy right now...we use them for lunch's, school bags, almost anything that would normally require a plastic bag. i keep a couple extra ones in the back of my car in case i go shopping and forget them.
another cool thing that they came out with last year at superstore is little white cloth bags for your vegetables and fruit rather than using plastic bags. genius!! you get 5 bags for $3.99 i believe...
another green idea is when getting your deli meat, well for starters, make sure the meat looks like it was cooked that way and not a bunch of little pieces glued together-gross. secondly, you can ask them to wrap your meat in brown paper WHICH is compostable AND can be recycled with all your other paper items.
there is also the idea of only shopping around the outskirts of the store as to make sure you are eating clean or mostly natural foods- most of the unhealthy products are in the inside of the store in case you didn't know...thats my plug for EATING CLEAN...ahem ahem...blog 1, ahem
lastly, a big and obvious green idea is to buy organic. now, buying organic does not mean the package or label has to say organic. organic simply means that it came from the earth-not modified in any way. the end. the label of organic is simply a selling feature and often a gimic so as long as you can read the ingredients you will be fine!
last but not at all least is the concept and practice of shopping at local grocery stores. this supports their business and your local economy. so for example, i would much rather shop at Hofstede's grocery than Superstore or Walmart because they try their hardest to supply local products. this cuts down on gas emissions and contributes to ending global warming. one decision at a time people!
i know this is a hard and more expensive transition but, like i said in early posts, you invest your money in things you think are a priority and for us shopping green AND local is a priority so therefore that is where we choose to spend our money. this is something that takes time to make a habit and believe me, i often still find myself in the isles of superstore... it is something that i am aiming to change this year. a green goal. you with me?
cheers to being green
another cool thing that they came out with last year at superstore is little white cloth bags for your vegetables and fruit rather than using plastic bags. genius!! you get 5 bags for $3.99 i believe...
another green idea is when getting your deli meat, well for starters, make sure the meat looks like it was cooked that way and not a bunch of little pieces glued together-gross. secondly, you can ask them to wrap your meat in brown paper WHICH is compostable AND can be recycled with all your other paper items.
there is also the idea of only shopping around the outskirts of the store as to make sure you are eating clean or mostly natural foods- most of the unhealthy products are in the inside of the store in case you didn't know...thats my plug for EATING CLEAN...ahem ahem...blog 1, ahem
lastly, a big and obvious green idea is to buy organic. now, buying organic does not mean the package or label has to say organic. organic simply means that it came from the earth-not modified in any way. the end. the label of organic is simply a selling feature and often a gimic so as long as you can read the ingredients you will be fine!
last but not at all least is the concept and practice of shopping at local grocery stores. this supports their business and your local economy. so for example, i would much rather shop at Hofstede's grocery than Superstore or Walmart because they try their hardest to supply local products. this cuts down on gas emissions and contributes to ending global warming. one decision at a time people!
i know this is a hard and more expensive transition but, like i said in early posts, you invest your money in things you think are a priority and for us shopping green AND local is a priority so therefore that is where we choose to spend our money. this is something that takes time to make a habit and believe me, i often still find myself in the isles of superstore... it is something that i am aiming to change this year. a green goal. you with me?
cheers to being green
Saturday, 14 January 2012
a solution to urban composting
so before you read this, disclaimer: you will hate yourself and others everytime you see things that could be composted put into a normal garbage can. it makes me cringe on the inside, honestly.
so last summer my husband and i decided to build our own compost- it is very easy, inexpensive, and gives back to you. here are some of the supplies you will need:
2 or 3 rubbermaid tubs with lids
drill
1 lb of worms - go to this website and email them about getting some. it was 25$ for one lb. http://www.transformcompostsystems.com/vermicomposting-worm-bins.php
some coffee grounds, shredded newspaper for insulation
here is the link we used that shows you how to create it step by step:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lcv69QL_Ers
things that you can put in your compost is almost limitless such as: fruits, veggies, bread, nail clippings, hair-gross but really you can, egg shells-make sure these are ground up...i would suggest printing a list offline and keep it on your fridge so you know. nothing cooked can go into a compost, so no leftovers or boiled egg shells.
it helps if you can blend the items you will be putting into your compost that way your worms can eat it faster. like for example, if you throw in a head of broccoli without cutting it up it will take a while for the worms to eat it. in other words, when the food rots the worms eat the rot and when food is smaller it will rot faster = faster composting.
another key is having some kind of bucket or garbage can in your house that you can keep your compostable foods in that way your not running out to put them in the bigger bin all the time. what we do is keep a stainless steel can next to our normal garbage can and we let it fill up over the week- than at the end of the week we throw it all into the bigger bin that has the worms. you will want to get a can that has a lid that closes tightly so it traps the smell. you can actually buy special ones that have filters in them as to trap the smell.
for the most part the compost tubs can stay outside all year. when it got cold we put ours into the shed. a garage would work too- that way the worms do not freeze.
if you find that the ratio of worms to compost is off (more compost, not enough worms), what you can do it build a second compost, steal worms from compost 1, and go from there- this is what we did. worms are a-sexual so they are constantly reproducing so this should work for you. and yes, you will have to get your hands dirty-or use gloves-and pick out the worms for compost 2. not the end of the world...
what are the benefits of composting you may ask?? LET ME TELL YOU!! first, it creates the most beautiful dirt. second, all the juices will fall into the bottom bin thus creating awesome fertilizer aka compost juice. thirdly it will honestly cut down on your garbage. we have definitely noticed a difference. instead of two bags a week we are down to one. lastly and most important, you will feel so GOOD about yourself and the impact you are making. maybe we are geeks but we love composting and are so excited to use the dirt we created last year for this years garden.
so did i sell it to you? i hope so. it is easy, cuts down on waste and is cost-efficient as it gives back to you in the long run. it is also nice for those of you who do not have backyards but still want to compost.
if you have any questions about starting your own compost, dont hesitate to message me and i can help you get started...
cheers to being green
so last summer my husband and i decided to build our own compost- it is very easy, inexpensive, and gives back to you. here are some of the supplies you will need:
2 or 3 rubbermaid tubs with lids
drill
1 lb of worms - go to this website and email them about getting some. it was 25$ for one lb. http://www.transformcompostsystems.com/vermicomposting-worm-bins.php
some coffee grounds, shredded newspaper for insulation
here is the link we used that shows you how to create it step by step:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lcv69QL_Ers
things that you can put in your compost is almost limitless such as: fruits, veggies, bread, nail clippings, hair-gross but really you can, egg shells-make sure these are ground up...i would suggest printing a list offline and keep it on your fridge so you know. nothing cooked can go into a compost, so no leftovers or boiled egg shells.
it helps if you can blend the items you will be putting into your compost that way your worms can eat it faster. like for example, if you throw in a head of broccoli without cutting it up it will take a while for the worms to eat it. in other words, when the food rots the worms eat the rot and when food is smaller it will rot faster = faster composting.
another key is having some kind of bucket or garbage can in your house that you can keep your compostable foods in that way your not running out to put them in the bigger bin all the time. what we do is keep a stainless steel can next to our normal garbage can and we let it fill up over the week- than at the end of the week we throw it all into the bigger bin that has the worms. you will want to get a can that has a lid that closes tightly so it traps the smell. you can actually buy special ones that have filters in them as to trap the smell.
for the most part the compost tubs can stay outside all year. when it got cold we put ours into the shed. a garage would work too- that way the worms do not freeze.
if you find that the ratio of worms to compost is off (more compost, not enough worms), what you can do it build a second compost, steal worms from compost 1, and go from there- this is what we did. worms are a-sexual so they are constantly reproducing so this should work for you. and yes, you will have to get your hands dirty-or use gloves-and pick out the worms for compost 2. not the end of the world...
what are the benefits of composting you may ask?? LET ME TELL YOU!! first, it creates the most beautiful dirt. second, all the juices will fall into the bottom bin thus creating awesome fertilizer aka compost juice. thirdly it will honestly cut down on your garbage. we have definitely noticed a difference. instead of two bags a week we are down to one. lastly and most important, you will feel so GOOD about yourself and the impact you are making. maybe we are geeks but we love composting and are so excited to use the dirt we created last year for this years garden.
so did i sell it to you? i hope so. it is easy, cuts down on waste and is cost-efficient as it gives back to you in the long run. it is also nice for those of you who do not have backyards but still want to compost.
if you have any questions about starting your own compost, dont hesitate to message me and i can help you get started...
cheers to being green
Sunday, 8 January 2012
whole foods market
if i could go on date anywhere with my hubby it would be to whole foods in vancouver. there are only two in BC and vancouver is the closest. whole foods is one big organic grocery store. they have everything a normal store has but it is all organic, hormone-free, nothing is genetically modified, and they have a huge gluten-free section-my favorite. it is pricey- i will not lie -but it is cheaper than buying organic in the one isle at superstore because they obviously bring in more product = less money. i wanted to go there today but we were in langely and didnt want to make the drive. that is when we discovered nature's farm. almost identical as whole foods but not as cool esthetically-it is a lot closer and had pretty much the same stuff. HOWEVER (and here is my rant) i had to ask for a paperbag because by default they gave plastic ones which totally surprised me. anyways.
so while we were there i got myself a eco-friendly window cleaner cloth. i have seen these at norwex parties- which by the way norwex is awesome, chemical free, and lasts a loooong time...so this one is not norwex but it works amazingly. i just ran out of windex and was waiting to get one.
this is the other thing about going green that i think is misleading: you do not have to throw away everything in your pantry or closet and start fresh with green items. i think that is why a lot of people never do it. its simple. use what you have and when it runs out buy something that is green, like the window cloth cleaner. it was 10$ but will last me a long time and what, windex cleaner is like, 5$? it works out to save you money for sure.
a friend of mine gave me her recipe for cleaning household products that have no harmful chemicals in them and are way cheaper, here are a couple:
all purpose cleaner- mix in the order listed:
-mix 2tbsp of vinegar with 1tsp of borax
-add 3/4 bottle hot water and dissolve borax
-add 1/4 cup castile soap or 1/8 cup regular dish soap
-top up with hot water
-add essential oil of your choice to make it nice smelling
-all all these together in the bottle you will keep it in
done, easy!
floor cleaner
-fill bottle with equal amounts vinegar and water
-add 15-20 drops of essential oil of your choice
-you can spray/squirt it directly on the floor
see its not so bad. make sure to keep the empty cleaner bottles though that way you don't have to buy new ones. if you do need bottles, you can get them at the dollar store.
i will give you some more recipes in future blogs but i think it is good to start one small change at a time so it sticks.
so folks, if you have an opportunity to check out whole foods or nature's farm, do it. my theory is, since i am being more wise about what i spend money on, and not being a senseless consumer, i should have more money to spend on food right? so why not spend it on good food that is not modified in any way. did you know that since genetically modified (gm'd) foods were introduced 15-20 years ago, disorders such as: reproductive, autism, and digestive issues and allergies have risen 10%?
since i struggle with food allergies of my own, this just makes eating clean that much more worth it.
is it worth it to you?
cheers to being green
so while we were there i got myself a eco-friendly window cleaner cloth. i have seen these at norwex parties- which by the way norwex is awesome, chemical free, and lasts a loooong time...so this one is not norwex but it works amazingly. i just ran out of windex and was waiting to get one.
this is the other thing about going green that i think is misleading: you do not have to throw away everything in your pantry or closet and start fresh with green items. i think that is why a lot of people never do it. its simple. use what you have and when it runs out buy something that is green, like the window cloth cleaner. it was 10$ but will last me a long time and what, windex cleaner is like, 5$? it works out to save you money for sure.
a friend of mine gave me her recipe for cleaning household products that have no harmful chemicals in them and are way cheaper, here are a couple:
all purpose cleaner- mix in the order listed:
-mix 2tbsp of vinegar with 1tsp of borax
-add 3/4 bottle hot water and dissolve borax
-add 1/4 cup castile soap or 1/8 cup regular dish soap
-top up with hot water
-add essential oil of your choice to make it nice smelling
-all all these together in the bottle you will keep it in
done, easy!
floor cleaner
-fill bottle with equal amounts vinegar and water
-add 15-20 drops of essential oil of your choice
-you can spray/squirt it directly on the floor
see its not so bad. make sure to keep the empty cleaner bottles though that way you don't have to buy new ones. if you do need bottles, you can get them at the dollar store.
i will give you some more recipes in future blogs but i think it is good to start one small change at a time so it sticks.
so folks, if you have an opportunity to check out whole foods or nature's farm, do it. my theory is, since i am being more wise about what i spend money on, and not being a senseless consumer, i should have more money to spend on food right? so why not spend it on good food that is not modified in any way. did you know that since genetically modified (gm'd) foods were introduced 15-20 years ago, disorders such as: reproductive, autism, and digestive issues and allergies have risen 10%?
since i struggle with food allergies of my own, this just makes eating clean that much more worth it.
is it worth it to you?
cheers to being green
Friday, 6 January 2012
lets break it down
so i dont know about you, but when i think of going green i think dollar signs and a LOT of effort i dont have time for. i am a full time student with extra on the side and if i want to make an impact it has got to be EASY. so this is for all of you out there that want to be green but think the above. IT CAN BE DONE FOLKS! here are some of the ways to break it down:
for starters, recycle. its free you know. buy yourself some blue bags or a blue bin and throw all your cans, bottles, plastics, and cardboards into it. wala, done. earth impacted.
second, turn your lights off whenever you are not using them and try to buy energy efficient light bulbs. you will notice a difference in your bill. same goes for heat. keep it as low as possibly and wear layers!!
did you know that even though you turn off your electronics etc. they continue to draw out energy? they do! so why not just unplug everything- i know this seems difficult and hard to remember but its worth a try. who doesn't like lower utility bills? one idea is to buy power bars and plug all of your stuff into a couple of them that way you only have to pull out one plug vs. 10. just a thought...
in a future blog i will break down how to make your own indoor compost. super easy, creates the most beautiful dirt for your garden AND natural fertilizer that you would pay big bucks for in the store. this also cuts down on household waste. love it!
the last and most challenging thing is to not spend money on things you don't need.period. as a society we are programmed from birth to be consumers. think about it, God has given us a beautiful world and intelligent brains to do adventurous and creative things, yet we choose to walk brainlessly around malls??? now this isn't all bad but it can become bad if you get into a cycle of buying stuff you don't need-especially when it is CREATED to break down so you have to buy more. their smart i tell you...and i get sucked into it every time. SO. this year -or this month cuz its going to take some time- im going to only buy things i need- so food, gifts, necessary items and think twice about the things i don't need. this way i can learn to not be a consumer, be a good steward of my mula, AND go to Asia. to add, this is not to necessarily be frugile or cheap but a lesson in using my time and money more wisely and on things THAT MATTER.
so wala, easy. done.
again, you don't have to spend money to be friendly to the earth, just mentally conscious of what decisions you make everyday. once your in a habit, it becomes like second nature and honestly, from experience, you feel SO good about how you are living your life.
cheers to being green
for starters, recycle. its free you know. buy yourself some blue bags or a blue bin and throw all your cans, bottles, plastics, and cardboards into it. wala, done. earth impacted.
second, turn your lights off whenever you are not using them and try to buy energy efficient light bulbs. you will notice a difference in your bill. same goes for heat. keep it as low as possibly and wear layers!!
did you know that even though you turn off your electronics etc. they continue to draw out energy? they do! so why not just unplug everything- i know this seems difficult and hard to remember but its worth a try. who doesn't like lower utility bills? one idea is to buy power bars and plug all of your stuff into a couple of them that way you only have to pull out one plug vs. 10. just a thought...
in a future blog i will break down how to make your own indoor compost. super easy, creates the most beautiful dirt for your garden AND natural fertilizer that you would pay big bucks for in the store. this also cuts down on household waste. love it!
the last and most challenging thing is to not spend money on things you don't need.period. as a society we are programmed from birth to be consumers. think about it, God has given us a beautiful world and intelligent brains to do adventurous and creative things, yet we choose to walk brainlessly around malls??? now this isn't all bad but it can become bad if you get into a cycle of buying stuff you don't need-especially when it is CREATED to break down so you have to buy more. their smart i tell you...and i get sucked into it every time. SO. this year -or this month cuz its going to take some time- im going to only buy things i need- so food, gifts, necessary items and think twice about the things i don't need. this way i can learn to not be a consumer, be a good steward of my mula, AND go to Asia. to add, this is not to necessarily be frugile or cheap but a lesson in using my time and money more wisely and on things THAT MATTER.
so wala, easy. done.
again, you don't have to spend money to be friendly to the earth, just mentally conscious of what decisions you make everyday. once your in a habit, it becomes like second nature and honestly, from experience, you feel SO good about how you are living your life.
cheers to being green
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
a new year
11 is my favorite number so i was excited about the year 2011. that being said, looking back, i am slightly disappointed in my green achievements. my husband and i have been making an effort to 'be green' and to my dismay, not everything i want can be done in a year. we did successfully manage to build a compost, cut down on our waste, buy a live tree for christmas, and plant a garden. However, there is so much room to be better.
so to kick this year off right we have decided to EAT CLEAN. what does this mean you may ask? well pretty much you only eat things that you know exactly what is in them. so for example, no more buying packaged cookies or cereal because they have ingredients that are modified. on the other hand by making cookies at home, i know exactly what i am putting into them. Same goes for bread, granola bars, and most snack foods. a great item i got for christmas was a food dehydrator. it makes dried fruit, jerky, and fruit leather. this is also a great way to eat clean and we have loved using it.
for us eating clean is more than saving money or losing weight but about knowing what we are putting into our bodies and being as healthy as we can be. if you are interested in eating clean, i suggest watching the movie FOOD INC. -a documentary on what is in the food we eat.
trying to be green can be somewhat of an overwhelming experience- however, it is NOT as hard as it appears and you do not have to feel like a tree hugging hippy to do it. you dont have to wear tunics and not wash your hair. its about loving the earth God gave us and having fun while doing it. so as i go into 2012, i am excited to discover and implement some green habits into my life and hope to convince you to do the same,
here's to a green 2012, hope you enjoy
so to kick this year off right we have decided to EAT CLEAN. what does this mean you may ask? well pretty much you only eat things that you know exactly what is in them. so for example, no more buying packaged cookies or cereal because they have ingredients that are modified. on the other hand by making cookies at home, i know exactly what i am putting into them. Same goes for bread, granola bars, and most snack foods. a great item i got for christmas was a food dehydrator. it makes dried fruit, jerky, and fruit leather. this is also a great way to eat clean and we have loved using it.
for us eating clean is more than saving money or losing weight but about knowing what we are putting into our bodies and being as healthy as we can be. if you are interested in eating clean, i suggest watching the movie FOOD INC. -a documentary on what is in the food we eat.
trying to be green can be somewhat of an overwhelming experience- however, it is NOT as hard as it appears and you do not have to feel like a tree hugging hippy to do it. you dont have to wear tunics and not wash your hair. its about loving the earth God gave us and having fun while doing it. so as i go into 2012, i am excited to discover and implement some green habits into my life and hope to convince you to do the same,
here's to a green 2012, hope you enjoy
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